One Fine Day?
by spooksfan08
Summary: The team are still recovering from the events of Lessons. With Adam and Carrie's wedding fast approaching Section D have to deal with a potiential threat to the Olympic Games. Can a small group of terrorists destroy Section D? Will Ros be able to face her demons and can Ruth get to start her maternity leave unscathed? H/R L/R all characters from 2.1 onwards may appear.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer. I don't own Spooks. All rights belong to Kudos and BBC Television as far as I am aware. Anyway, no copyright infringement is intended nor should be inferred. This story follows on from 'Lessons'. I'd love it if you read that and of course my other stories but it isn't essential. All characters from 2.1 until 10.6 are fair game. For people who haven't read my previous stories Zoe is back. Adam, Lucas, Zaf, Tariq, Ros and Ruth never died. Malcolm is only semi retired and Beth wasn't decommissioned. Basically, if we didn't see them leave on screen the way Danny, Ben, Fiona, Jo and Colin died they didn't in my little world. (No Ruth was only unconscious in Harry's arms as far as I am concerned!)**

**Anyway, on with the show!**

**One Fine Day**

**Chapter One.: The Voice of Experience.**

Adam walked along the corridor of Thames House, ignoring Zaf and Dimitri as they discussed the football game both had watched the night before. Zaf was growing more and more outraged as Dimitri outlined the skill and obvious superior talents of his team.

"Liverpool?" Zaf shook his head. "You support Liverpool!"

"So? Have you not seen the genius that is Steven Gerrad's left foot? How can you support that second rate side?"

"Chelsea is not second rate!" Zaf yelled as they walked through the Pods. Adam raised his eyes towards Ruth in a bid for her to rescue him. Instead the Intel Analyst bit her lip to stiffle a laugh. Ros marched towards them, clearly amused by the childish banter.

"Good morning, children. Adam. A word." Adam nodded solomly and tried not to show he was grateful for the fact she had rescued him from yet another football related debate.

"What is it?" Adam fell in to step beside Ros as she headed towards Harry's office.

"Tessa Philips."

"What has she done now?" Adam knew he was not goinng to like the answer. The look on Ros' face gave nothing away but he knew there was more going on that he knew about.

"Her brief has advised her to plead not guilty on all accounts." Ros almost spat the words out. Adam rolled his eyes before stepping into Harry's office. It had been expected, but meant that the entire team would have to attend court. Not something any spook relished.

"Bloody Hell." Adam nodded towards Harry.

"My thoughts exactly." Harry barked. "This is all we need with the Olympics just days away."

"Oh joy." Ros snapped.

"Looking forward to it?" Adam tried to keep the smile off his face. Harry narrowed his eyes as Ros glared.

"Looking forward to the overtime."

"Not yet been sanctioned." Harry stated. "Anyway, we have more to worry about at the moment. We are short staffed at present. How is Lucas?"

"Going mad." Ros stated calmly. "Amy is convinced he isn't coming home and it is driving him mad."

"When is he being discharged?" Harry's voice softened. He knew the last case, and the shadow Tessa still cast over the team had affected Ros and Lucas more than anyone else. He still didn't have the heart to tell her what Harrison had said when he had reinterviewed him a few hours after Zaf and Dimitri, although it had taken some explaining when Harrison had returned from the interview room with a broken nose.

"Later today." Ros looked at the desk. "Harry, what is all this about?"

Harry looked away from the officers in front of him for a moment before running a hand over his face. He knew neither of them were going to like what he had to say.

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"How long is it until the big day?" Beth rested her head on one hand as she watched Malcolm blush.

"Yeah Malcolm?" Calum smiled at him. "How long until the new arrival?"

"One week, depending on home checks." Malcolm stared at his computer screen, aware that the rest of the team had initially got the impression he and Sarah were trying to adopt a child and were highly amused when they learned it was a dog that Sarah wanted to add to their family.

"Leave him alone." Ruth rested a hand on her ever expanding abdomen. "I think it's lovely, Malcolm."

"Thank you, Ruth." Malcolm mumbled before frowning. "Anyway, I believe it is Adam's big day before that. Isn't it this Saturday he and Carrie get married?"

"Yeah." Zaf stood up and shrugged his jacket on. "Remember, stag night Friday. The George."

"Oh how could I forget?" Malcolm shook his head as he remembered his own 'stag' night and the drunken antics of the younger members of the team. Ruth rolled her eyes before waddling back to her own work station.

###############

"Harry?" Adam stepped towards Harry's desk as he spoke. Ros folded her arms and waited. She knew whatever was about to happen was not going to be pleasant. Harry looked her directly in the eye.

"I have been on the phone with the Home Secretary for most of the morning."

"And?" Ros narrowed her eyes. Harry watched her physically tense as he spoke.

"He tells me that the Games are being used as a front for a small but determined group from Russia who wish to derail the event and raise publicity for their own causes." Harry watched as both Ros and Adam exchanged glances.

"How does he know?" Adam had never liked Towers and didn't even attempt to hide his dislike for the middle aged politician. "I mean, if he had any viable intel why is he coming to us? Why now? Why not the police?"

"Would you trust Special Branch with this?" Ros remained immobile as she spoke.

"True." Adam shrugged. "But?"

"Because he found out at some trade delegation he had to attend. And because he knows I have enough on him to have his balls on a plate should something happen on my watch." Harry's voice dropped menacingly low.

"Ok." Ros nodded slightly as she thought about what Harry was saying. "I think we have to at least stick our noses in where it isn't wanted. The Government farmed the security out to private companies on this and now they are crawling back to us when the shit is about to hit the fan. What do we know about this little group?"

"Not much." Harry sighed. "I asked Ruth and Malcolm to dig around. Seems they are relatively small and have caused some annoyance in the past."

"Annoyance?" Adam was suddenly more interested.

"In the last Games, their ringleader was arrested but never charged." Harry sighed heavily. "Lack of evidence, apparently. He currently uses the name of Gregor Sande. Although there are other alias' on file."

"Could be a low level pain in the neck?" Adam sighed. It was less than a fortnight to his wedding and the last thing he wanted was to get involved in another high profile case.

"Doubtful." Ros glared.

"Sorry." Ruth barged into the office as Harry raised an eyebrow.

"Ruth." Harry watched as his wife sucked in a deep breath. "What is it?"

"This is more than a low level threat." She paused as Ros and Adam stared at her. "This is big enough to derail the Games."

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A/N Not sure about this. May delete and restart it. Please review and let me know. Thanks again for all the support and reviews with Lessons and all my other fics.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer I do not own Spooks.**

**Sporting Chance?**

The Briefing Room was strangley quiet as Harry made his way to the head of the table. Calum and Tariq exchanged glances as Ruth closed her eyes for a moment. Only Harry and Zaf knew Ruth's migraines were steadily getting worse. Zaf resisted the urge to ask her if she was ok, knowing the last thing she wanted was for the rest of the team to worry about her.

"I see you all have your notes." Harry took his seat at the head of the table as Ros leant against the wall.

"Harry." Zoe started. "This is ridiculous, we have days to stop this. All with the knowledge that the Government didn't even want us to be involved in the Games." She glared at the Section Head as she spoke. The rest of the team remained quiet. Harry sighed heavily, he knew she was right but there was nothing else to be done.

"That is as maybe." Harry ignored the face both Beth and Ros were sending Zoe death glares. "But this group doesn't seem to care who is in charge of security, they intend to derail it."

"Bloody Hell." Calum shook his head as Ruth clicked a few buttons and turned towards the screen.

"Two individuals kept coming up in chatter from GCHQ." Ruth started.

"Nice of them to keep us informed." Adam muttered darkly as Dimitri shook his head.

"Have they ever?" Ruth watched as Adam smiled slightly,

"Never thought I'd say it but I miss Sam."

"No." Harry snapped. "This is the first we have heard of it. Obviously they have been flying under the radar until now, although it seems our counterpart over in Europe have been aware of them for some months."

"Nothing like open and honest information sharing." Alec snapped. Ros smirked as the former IA man grumbled at the end of the table. Beth rolled her eyes.

"Both men are from the former Soviet Union but this man has shown up on several searches. Viktor Kruchevski, 56 years old. Son of a former KGB officer. He has been in the Kremlin's bad books since the late 1980s when he sold a state secret to the Americans."

"Hold on." Calum looked up. "He sold a state secret and he is still alive? Bloody Hell."

"A case of who you know aswell as what you know." Harry smirked slightly as Ruth rolled her eyes.

"Anyway." Ruth turned back to the large screen showing the picture of their suspect. "It seems he has become involved in a group that is not only anti British but also known for derailing large sporting and cultural events. Brothers of Peace do not live up to their name."

"They are called what?" Zaf raised an eyebrow.

"You heard." Ros snapped.

"It translates to that from the Russian. Basically they feel that sport, all sport that is." Ruth paused. "Is just a poor substitute for war."

"So they disrupt and derail sporting events inorder to what? Start a war?" Beth shook her head.

"Extremists are rarely what we would call rational." Harry looked darkly at the desk. Dimitri nodded.

"Ruth, you said there are two men?"

"The younger." Ruth changed the screen as a picture changed to show a younger man with light blonde hair staring at something in the distance. "Is Julian Schmit. 39 years old, has been a bit of a drifer in his youth, it seems he met up with Viktor sometime last year. Although at the time it seemed innocent enough."

"Doesn't it always?" Erin stared at the screen as her blood ran cold. "Ruth, that man."

"Julian?" Harry turned to face the brunette as the colour drained from her face.

"I know him."

"How?"

"Ran into him during my time in K." Calum got up and left the room as she spoke. Harry narrowed his eyes as he watched him go. He had a very strange feeling he knew what Erin was going to say next.

"How?" Beth asked without looking up from her paperwork.

"He killed my fiance. He murdered Rosie's dad."

##################################

The sun was high in the sky as Harry walked along the Embankment. He tried to ignore the posters and banners announcing LONDON 2012 as he headed towards the man leaning against the railings.

"Harry,"

"Home Secretary." Harry turned to face the swirling waters of the Thames as Towers nodded once.

"You took my piece of news seriously?"

"Home Secretary in the past few months this City has been gearing up to play host to the most prestigious sporting event that exists. There are delegates from more countries than I knew existed. Even the Queen's Jubilee wasn't this intense as far as security is concerned and you."

"Not me, Harry."

"Your Government farm this out to private contractors and when the shit hits the fan and the lives of civilians and the reputation of Great Britain is at stake you come running to us with some far fetched threat regarding a potential Russian bid to derail the Games." Harry shook his head. "It's almost laughable."

"Sir Harry." Towers deliberately used his title as Harry scoffed. He knew as well as everyone else he had not wanted the Knighthood and never used the title.

"Funny how the Knighthood is rolled out when it suits." Harry glared at the swirling water below. Towers fell silent.

"How's Ruth?"

"None of your concern."

"Indeed." Towers looked away, momentarily dumbfounded. "But wont you be needing an analyst to replace her?"

"The last two analyst who tried to replace her ended up dead. One a traitor and murderer. The other murdered." Harry glared at the older man. "I'd say Ruth is irreplacable."

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"Right then." Ros nodded at the assembled officers as she leant against Lucas' abandoned desk. She felt like screaming. They had two days, just forty eight hours to work out what the group was planning and stop it. The countdown to the Games now meant more to her than the rest of the country could imagine. She looked at the assembled officers knowing that with Harry meeting with Towers and Calum and Erin now emotionally involved in the case it was her the team would be looking to for guidance.

"We have just over forty eight hours until the opening ceremony. You've seen all the media coverage, this is going to be a big deal."

"Indeed." Malcolm shook his head sadly.

"Now whatever we think about decisions made around the organising of the Games we all knew this was going to be the busiest period in our history. Now we have these people to contend with and just forty eight hours." Ros paused, aware that she had the full attention of the team. "Those of you that need to make childcare arrangements do so now, because I can't see any of us getting home before the opening ceremony. Oh and for God's sake make sure you have enough to eat and drink, the last thing I need is anyone going sick, and keeling over on me."

"Shall I contact catering?" Malcolm looked up at her from his computer station. "See if they can be of service?"

"Yes." Ros nodded. "Tariq, Ruth this applies to you two especially,"

Tariq and Ruth exchanged glances before Tariq got up and headed towards the kitchen.

"On that note, I'm going to take my insulin and eat something." Tariq started. "Then I'll hack into the back accounts of our new favourite playmates."

"Good boy." Ros smiled before picking up her jacket and marching towards the Pods. "Zaf?"

"Yeah?" He looked up as she reached the Pods.

"With me."

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A/N Ok, Not the best thing I've written but hopefully sets the scene. Poor Calum and Erin! Please let me know what you think.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer not mine. **

**Ghosts?**

Zaf automatically walked to the driver's side of the pool car as Ros raised an eyebrow. She knew Adam never really questioned alllowing Zaf to drive but she needed the distraction of being forced to concentrate on the road ahead of her. Zaf sighed heavily before walking to the other side of the car and handing her the keys.

"Good boy."

"Where are we going?" Zaf got in the car as she started the engine.

"Russian Embassy."

"Why?"

"These jokers both have an association with the previous government's regime. They also have been linked with the murder of a high ranking MI 6 officer. Matthew Reed was murdered on UK soil less than three years ago. At the time you were away." Neither said anything about the time Zaf had been taken but they both knew how dark that period of Zaf's life had been. He nodded grimley as she sped past the various London 2012 banners and posters. "What I want to know is if they have been causing any trouble back home. I also want to know if Connie has anything to do with this."

"Connie is dead." Zaf turned to her and raised an eyebrow. "Isn't she?"

"Why do you ask?" Ros kept her eye on a chubby man on a push bike that was delaying traffic.

"Rumour was we were dead once." Zaf kept his voice low as a smile twitched at the corner or Ros' mouth.

"Nasty thing rumours. If she isn't dead she did a bloody good Houdinin routine that day with me and Lucas on the underground. All while disarming a nuclear bomb. For a traitorous murdering bitch she did well in the end."

"You didn't like her?" Zaf had never met the woman that had replaced Ruth temporarily. Ros narrowed her eyes.

"Not trusting her and not liking her are two different things. Too bloody similar, that was the problem and she always thought she was right."

"I see where the similarities are." Zaf smirked as Ros swirved around the overweight cyclist.

"Keep talking Zaf and you can walk back."

###################

"Mr North?" Lucas looked up to see a thin, white haired man walk into the room.

"Morning."

"We have the results of your tests back."

"And?" He hardly dare to let himself hope. Part of him wished Ros was with him to hear the results. She had been by his side as much as she could but he knew the extra workload the Olympics provided would keep her away. The other part was glad she wasn't there, they had been through enough since Harrison had kidnapped her. He knew she was still refusing to talk about it; even though he knew she remembered more than she had put in her report. He knew Harry knew she had too.

"And you, Mr North are an extremely lucky young man."

"Young?" Lucas raised an eyebrow, aware the young nurse next to the Consultant was trying to work out why her patient had so many tattoos. "Misspent youth." He nodded to the ink on his arm as the nurse blushed.

"Indeed. Misspent but lucky. Your liver enzymes are back to normal. The biochemistry results are very promising and your physio tells me she is very happy with you. The lung capacity you had before the chest drain and stab wound to the thorax may take a while yet to recover but it is getting there."

"With all due respect, I have a wife and two kids at home who need me." Lucas stared the man in the face. "When can I go home?"

"I want another chest X ray. Then tonight. When your wife visits you may be discharged." Lucas smiled slightly before shaking the consultant's hand. It had been weeks since Sasha Gavrik had plunged the knife into his side, weeks since he had collapsed in Ruth's arms as Stan called for help. He had lived when no one, least of all himself had expected him to. Smiling he knew the doctor was right, there weren't that many people who got a second chance.

###############

"Idiot!" Ruth hissed as she slammed the phone down on her desk. "Bloody idiot man."

"What is it?" Zoe looked up from her paperwork as Ruth glared at the inanimate object on her desk.

"Steve Lewis."

"That the current CIA liaison? What happened to the last one?"

"I think." Ruth glanced up to see her husband talking on the phone. "Harry scared him off."

"Sounds about right. What's this Lewis man done?"

"They knew we were investigating a possible security breach but thought that as we are the Anti Terrorism section we would know all about the threat. They encountered these idiots in Washington six months ago and decided it was not of high enough importance to tell us." She pushed her chair away from the desk as she took a deep breath.

"You ok?" Zoe asked as Ruth closed her eyes.

"Yeah."

"You sure?"

"Zoe." She opened her eyes. "I'm fine. This little one just kicking off."

"Oh God, I remember when I was carrying Danny. I thought he was going to be a boxer not a footballer. Anyway why is this Lewis man being such a nightmare?"

"They already knew Julian was implicated in the death of an MI 6 officer but as no arrests were made!"

"Implicated." Callum shook his head. "He was more than implicated."

"I know." Ruth met his eye. "I know and we will stop him, this time. I should talk to Harry." She got to her feet as another cramp hit her. Calum frowned slightly.

"When are you going on Maternity Leave?" Alec started as he watched her. Ruth narrowed her eyes as he pulled his jacket on. Beth dug in her desk drawer as he spoke.

"Don't start." Ruth turned on her heel as she spoke. Alec raised an eyebrow before muttering he was going to see a man about a dog and jogging towards the pods closely followed by Dimitri.

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"Ruth." Harry smiled as he saw his wife close the office door behind her and lean against it. For a moment he was glad he had shut the blinds once he had returned from the Briefing Room.

"Ros and Zaf are heading over to the Russian Embassy."

"Ok." He watched as she looked at the polished wooden desk he was now leaning against. "Ruth?" She sighed, knowing it was only a matter of time until she told him what was really going through her head.

"Calum and Erin."

"What about them?" Harry stepped nearer to her.

"I don't think Calum is coping very well with this." She met his gaze as he rested his hand on her arms.

"I know." He held her gaze. "I wouldn't be if I were him. Or Erin for that matter. If I was investigating a case where the main suspect was directly or indirectly involved in the death of Ben or you." He closed his eyes as she touched his face. "I wouldn't be able to function."

"I know."

"We'll just have to keep an eye on them. If either comes to me or if either is getting too close."

"No Tring. Calum is unstable enough at the best of times."

"No Tring." Harry touched her face as she sighed. "I promise. Catherine would never forgive me if nothing else."

"They do seem to be getting on well." Ruth watched the slightly pained expression that crossed Harry's face. "Oh come on Harry. He is a good man."

"I know." Harry sighed. "I know."

"Now. There's a been a bit of a problem with the CIA liasion to London. In as much as I called him a bloody idiot."

"That's not a problem. It's the truth. Steve Lewis wouldn't recognise a terrorist threat if it jumpde up and down in front of him."

"True." Ruth smiled as he stepped back. "But his incompetance has cost us time."

"Now that may be a problem." Harry returned to his seat as Ruth outlined what the American had failed to tell them. Harry sighed as he listened, wondering yet again how they were going to find Julian and Viktor before they did any more damage.

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A/N Just a small chapter to move things along slightly. I'll update more soon. Please review.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer Not mine**

**Countdown.**

Beth walked along the corridors of Thames House with Alec by her side. The older man was clearly worried but Beth put that down to the lack of time they had to find the men who wanted to derail the biggest sporting event the UK had held since 1948. She stopped abruptly in her tracks as Alec almost walked into her.

"Bailey."

"Why is this happening now?"

"Why now what?"

"Alec, think about it. The Games were awarded to the UK seven years ago. They had seven years to start something. Why are we only hearing about them now?"

"Because they have only just come across our radar." Alec shrugged his shoulders. "I dunno why, we just sort it. That's what we do. Check your job description, find the bad guys. Stop the bad guys."

"Men." Beth rolled her eyes and following him, not for the first time wondering why she had been paired with the former IA man rather than Dimitri.##########################

"Callum." Erin walked out on to the roof of Thames House as Callum gazed out over the city. "Tariq thinks he may have found something. Harry is off to Whitehall again. I'm beginning to feel sorry for Towers."

"I'm not." Callum closed his eyes. "Shit, Erin."

The chill in the air hit Erin as she stepped closer to him. The cold snap matched his mood completely. She closed her eyes for a moment as she neared him.

"I know."

"What?" Callum remained pensive as if debating whether to scream or launch himself off the roof. For a moment she was glad Harry had insisted the barriers around the roof edge was raised.

"Can you do this?" Erin asked. "Work this case, when we know what we know about Julian."

"Yes." Callum wasn't sure he had hidden the tears in his voice as well as he would have hoped. He was glad Catherine wasn't there to see him as he was.

"We're already one down, with Lucas being in hospital and Ruth about to drop."

"Yeah, but."

"He killed Matthew." Erin swallowed hard. "It is never going to go away. That man took my little girl's daddy. My fiancé. And I hope he rots in Hell but that wont alter the fact we have to stop him."

"I was there." Callum turned and faced her. "I was there when he shot Matt. When he left him to bleed to death." He watched as a tear rolled down her cheek. "I was there when you told Rosie, so yeah I can do this. I can put him behind bars."

"Julian Schmidt is a nasty piece of work, a vile waste of skin." Calum watched as Erin held his gaze. "But in saying that, we never had any intel that suggested he was linked to the FSB. I can't help but think the meeting with Viktor was not just coincidental."

"Calum"

"You know what I'm thinking." Erin tilted her head on one side.

"Yeah."

"Ok." Erin nodded. "I'll talk to Harry."

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The Russian Embassy was just as ornate and imposing as Ros remembered. She knew two MI 5 officers would not be welcome, especially the Section Chief and Senior Case officer from the Domestic Counter Terrorism section or Section D as the rest of the world knew them. She marched up to the reception desk aware that more than one set of eyes had clocked her entrance. Zaf smiled at the blonde woman behind the desk.

"Good morning." The woman spoke in heavily accented Russian. Ros raised an eyebrow and replied in fluent Russian, which caused Zaf to smirk and the woman to hastily lift the phone next to her and relay Ros' message.

"The second door on your left at the end of the corridor."

"Thanks." Zaf smirked and followed Ros. "Ok." He paused when they were out of ear shot. "What did you just say?"

"That I am here to see her boss and that I suggest she stop flirting with you and tell Aleksander Dubrenic that we are here."

Zaf smirked before shaking his head and following her towards the office the woman had directed them to.

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"Any luck with the Americans?" Zoe asked as Tariq walked back through from the kitchenette.

"Yes, I think so." Ruth smiled, resting a hand on her ever expanding abdomen as she spoke.

"Eh?" Tariq asked.

"I gave up on the monkey and went straight to the organ grinder." Ruth smiled.

"Zo, she's talking like Harry again."

"Shut up Geek boy." Zoe laughed. "Ruth?"

"Lexi Lincoln is CIA Head Officer in London. Seems she has a more open approach to communication. I'm going to meet her at 11 am."

"You?" Tariq raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, me." Ruth rolled her eyes. "You know I have been out in the field before."

"Yeah." Tariq glanced at Malcolm who was absorbed in what was on the screen in front of him.

"We know that Ruth." He kept his eyes on the computer. "I have often wondered why there was always such a fuss about women joining the service. Some of our best field officers have been women."

"Thank you." Ruth smiled at her old friend. Malcolm nodded before turning his attention back to the computer.

"Yeah." Tariq nodded. "BUt this is Ruth."

"I heard that." Ruth threw a sweet from Zaf's desk towards him as he ducked.

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Harry walked into the main office of the Home Secretary as his PA looked up and smiled. Sophie had been part of the furniture at Whitehall for as long as he could remember. The pretty red head was far too young to interest him but he had long since made a mental note not to take the younger men on his team with him when he knew she was going to be on duty. They were easily distracted as it was.

"Sir Harry." Sophie got to her feet. "Is everything ok?"

"I have a meeting with him." He nodded towards the solid oak door.

"He just got back from seeing the Prime Minister. He is seriously not happy. Apparently something with the Olympic Opening Ceremony and a load of nurses."

"Nurses?" Harry smiled, for a moment he pictured a dozen women dressed like the nurses in the Carry On films. The look on Sophie's face reminded of something Ros and Ruth would say if they could read his mind. "Well, at least if something does go on we can be assured we have medical cover."

"Yeah." She smiled as she pressed the intercom. "Home Secretary, Sir Harry Pearce is here to see you." She cut the intercom before Towers' response could be heard. Harry smirked before making his way to the door.

"I'll let myself in, shall I?"

Sophie shook her head and smiled. Harry's visits to Whitehall were always eventful.

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"Mrs Myers, Mr r." The wiry man got to his feet. Zaf watched as Ros smiled slyly before sitting at the desk opposite him. "I understand this is not a social call." The thin man spoke in heavily accented Russian.

"What do you know about Russian splinter group that has plans to derail the Games?"

"Ah, the Brothers of Peace."

"So, you know the name." Zaf held his gaze. Ros was the consumate Ice Queen. Aleksander nodded once before leaning forward and resting his hands on his desk. Fofr a moment Adam was reminded of Harry just before he pounced on an unsuspecting politician.

"I do." He shook his hed. "Mrs Myers, Mr Younis I assure you that they are not backed by my government. We would not do anything to damage not only the reputation of my country but the chances of out élite sportsmen and women."

"What do you know?" Ros kept her voice deliberately monotone. Adam just hoped the man opposite them knew how close she was to loosing her temper. Aleksander sighed heavily.

"They are stupid men. With stupid ideals. Not sanctioned by the Kremlin or the FSB."

"And you are certain about that?" Ros got to her feet at the same time as the men. "You are certain I wont be at this desk again asking you for the names of people in Russia and the former USSR that funded these stupid people?"

"Ros." Zaf warned, aware that the man was loosing his temper. Ros smiled slightly, the way a snake would when eyeing up its prey.

"I'll speak to you again, Aleksander."

"I am sure you will." He narrowed his eyes at her. "Give my regards to your Sir Harry."

"Oh I think he can manage without those." She walked out the office with Adam hot on her heels.

"You think that was wise?" Zaf asked as he fell into step next to her. Ros smiled slightly as she reached the main foyer of the Embassy.

"What?"

"Back in there."

"Oh Zaf. You still have so much to learn. Powerful men like that don't like women, whoever they are to know what they are up to. He knew that I am going to report this back to Harry. It's obvious. Him mentioning Harry was just trying to show me he has the bigger dick. We will be back in that office. He knows more than he is telling us."

Zaf rolled his eyes before following her out of the building. Both knew time was running out.

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A/N more soon x


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer I do not own Spooks.**

**History Repeating Itself?**

Ruth pulled her jacket closer to her as she walked down the steps of Thames House. She knew the others had a valid point as far as her and field work went. In the few times she had been able to get out into the field she had been kidnapped, shot at, beaten up and almost killed more times than she cared to remember. The rain began splattering the pavement as she walked towards the taxi she had booked a few minutes earlier.

"Ruth." The taxi driver smiled. "Spooks cabs to the rescue."

"Hello Lee." She smiled as she slipped into the back seat. One hand rested on her abdomen as she spoke.

"Bloody Nora! When are you due? You kept that one quiet."

"I haven't used a spooks cab in months." Ruth smiled. "Not needed to drag you lot into this world. I've got about nine or ten weeks to go."

"Always knew I should have asked you out when I had the chance." The taxi driver smiled cheekily as she blushed.

"Lee."

"Harry is a lucky man." He smiled at her as she bit her bottom lip. "It is Harry? The grumpy sod I used to pick up from that posh club?"

"Yes, it's Harry." Ruth smiled as she sank back into her seat and tried to concentrate on meeting Lexi rather than her husband or the pain behind her eyes.

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Tariq glared at the computer screen. He knew the rest of the team were out doing the 'leg work' as Calum called it but he couldn't help but wish one of the field officers were there to talk to. He knew Ruth was probably going to be safe but he couldn't help worrying about her. Ruth had been the first person in Section D to treat him as an equal rather than a junior officer.

"Adam." He sighed in relief as Malcolm looked up. Adam walked along Oxford Street listening to Tariq on his mobile phone.

"Ruth has done what?" Adam tried not to sound too alarmed. He knew Ruth would probably be the best person to get information out of the Americans; out of everyone on the team he knew she was the one with the most tact. She had the sharp intellect and wit to match.

"Gone to meet the CIA senior liaison to London." Tariq spoke calmly.

"Back up?"

"Er." Tariq glanced at Malcolm as he returned from the kitchenette with two mugs.

"Tell me she has back up and that Harry knows about this." Adam's blue eyes darkened in worry and anger as he thought of his heavily pregnant friend. "Tariq, she is seven and a half months pregnant! How the Hell is she even contemplating being in the field?"

"Where are Ros and Zaf?" Malcolm asked calmly.

"Heading back to base. I was going to meet up with Zoe to go and visit a contact of hers. Seems I better abandon that idea and check on Ruth." Adam ended the call sharply just as he saw Zoe pull the car to the end of the road.

"What now?" She asked. Her cut glass accent jarring against Adam's nerves for a moment. He knew she was always sharper than usual when she was worried.

"Ruth has gone off without back up."

"Oh great." Zoe reached across and opened the car door. "Do Harry and Zaf know?"

"No."

"Oh fantastic."

"That's what I thought."

"So? What do we do now?" Zoe asked as she pulled out into the central London traffic.

"Find Ruth. I can call Frankie and have him meet with us once we know Ruth is safe." He stared straight ahead. "I can't believe she would do this."

"You know Ruth." Zoe sighed sadly. "Everyone and everything is more important than she is. She probably thought wearing a wire and having a team follow her would be taking the resources away from the rest of the op."

"Sounds like Ruth." Adam smiled sadly, knowing the only time Ruth had managed to step out in the field and remain unscathed was when she had to give Harry the memory stick on the bus. "I'll call Harry."

"You are a braver man than I gave you credit for." Zoe smirked.

"Thanks." Adam smiled slightly, knowing he would rather face terrorist gunfire than the next conversation he was going to have with Harry.

#######################

Towers glared at Harry as his phone rang. Harry knew he had to answer the call but turning his attention away from the Home Secretary was going to cause more problems than it was worth.

"Honestly, Harry."

"We need to know exactly where you got the information from." Harry slipped his hand into his pocket and pressed the silence button on his phone. He had no idea Adam was swearing profusely on the other end of the line.

"I told you everything I know."

"With respect." Harry barked, with no respect at all. "We now have less than 36 hours to the opening of the Olympic Games. The women's football is already scheduled to start tomorrow. I have liaised with Dewi in Cardiff but we all suspect London with the opening ceremony is the real target so I suggest that you tell me everything rather than what you just think you should."

#########

Ruth stepped out the taxi as she cursed the weather. _So much for summer. It's August! Oh well. _She stuck her hands in her jacket pocket as her skirt flapped around her in the storm that was beginning to whip up around her.

"Hi." A distinctly American voice caught her ears.

"Hello." Ruth turned to face teh pretty woman who had fallen into step behind her.

"You seem to be having some trouble with a mutual friend of ours. How about we get out of this rain?"

"Good idea." Ruth smiled, instantly liking the younger woman. "There's a cafe just across here."

Lexi smiled before ushering Ruth across the road. Once seated in the café Ruth began to relax. Lexi had positioned herself with her back to the door while she had a good view of everyone in the café. _Once a spook. _She smiled slightly as she pictured Harry telling her she was born to be a spook. At the time she had taken it as an insult. Now she saw it for what it was.

"What can you tell me?" Ruth held the thin woman's gaze. Lexi was the ultimate stereotypical American beauty, all blonde hair and Hollywood smile. Ruth wondered briefly if that was what had made her so good at her job.

"That you guys are in over your heads. We chased these idiots out of the States. Viktor wasn't even wanted by the FSB, not once he sold us Ursula."

"Ursula?" Ruth sipped her tea slowly.

"You know about that? It was a fake. Only we didn't know it at the time. Seems old Viktor had grown jaded by his life in espionage and wanted out. So he sold a fake Soviet secret. Then he met up with a thug called Julian and they started going for whatever the highest bidder would pay. No morals, no conscious. He is seriously a man that thinks of financial gain first. And, Ruth he is dangerous." Lexi shook her head slightly. "Please don't tell me they are letting a woman as heavily pregnant as you go after this man?"

"It's not just me." Ruth sighed. She knew the woman had a point but she was determined that her job would not suffer or that Harry would treat her any differently when they were at work.

"Good." Lexi smiled. "Anyway, he has a history of violence, especially against women."

"Really?" Ruth already knew of Julian's track record.

"Yes. His wife died in very odd circumstances and his last girlfriend is in a persistent vegetative state."

"Nice guy then." Ruth sighed.

"And I think you know he killed a British spy. Matthew Reid ring any bells?" Ruth nodded slightly as a picture of Calum looking distraught filled her mind. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Zoe enter the café with Adam and sit at a table a few feet away. Seconds later Lexi vanished as Ruth turned to face Adam and raise an eyebrow.

"Co incidence?"

"Yeah, funny seeing you here." Adam smiled warmly as she walked across the café towards them. "We were worried."

"Thank you." Ruth couldnt stay angry with him for long. He knew it and smiled warmly at her. His blue eyes dancing with mischief.

"Harry?"

"With the Home Sec. Not answering the phone. Not sure if that is good or bad."

"Bad. For Towers at least." Ruth closed her eyes as her knees wobbled slightly. Adam was on his feet in seconds. Zoe grabbed her arm as the world fell away from her.

###################

A/N Short chapter. Is Lexi trustworthy? Is Harry going to get anything useful out of Towers and is Ruth alright? More from Dimitri and the others next time. Please review. I may delete and restart.


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer not mine**

**A Born Spook?**

Adam swore as he caught Ruth seconds before her body crashed into the table. Zoe helped him lower her to the floor as a frightened waitress ran towards them.

"She ok?"

"Does she look ok?" Zoe snapped at the young woman, no older than a teenager.

"What's wrong with 'er?" The red head snapped as Adam raised an eyebrow. Mercifully Ruth chose this moment to open her eyes.

"Nothing." Ruth mumbled as Adam's eyes snapped back to hers.

"Ruth."

"Pregnant women faint, Adam." Ruth mumbled grumpily as one hand rested on her stomach. "I'm fine."

"You could have been killed." Zoe hissed as the waitress backed away.

"No, contrary to popular belief tea does not kill pregnant women." Ruth shot her a look as Adam helped her to her feet.

"True." Adam smiled. "And Carrie fainted a couple of times when she was pregnant and Fiona had morning sickness like you wouldn't believe." He looked away for a moment as he mentioned his first wife. Ruth sighed slightly, she knew Zoe had no idea who Fiona was but she had been a good friend to Ruth before she had gone into exile. The woman's murder had almost destroyed her friendship with Adam and she knew somewhere deep down he still felt like he was betraying his first wife by being with Carrie.

"And didn't Ros? With James?"

"Oh yes, right in front of the Home Secretary." Adam smiled. "Now, you better get back to Thames House before Harry finds out about this. And I don't want to be around for the fallout when he does."

"Neither do I." Zoe pulled a face. She hadn't forgotten the legendary Pearce temper even if the others had.

"I am fine. The baby is fine." Ruth let go of Adam's arm as she spoke. Seconds later she closed her eyes, the room spinning once more. Adam frowned slightly as she seemed to grow paler in front of him. He scooped her up in his arms and marched out of the café before either Ruth or Zoe could argue.

"Adam." Ruth opened her eyes.

"No arguments Ruth. Not this time." He stated calmly as Zoe ran towards the car.

####################

"Do you believe that?" Erin shook her head as she marched towards the exit. She had just spent an hour going through the plans for the opening ceremony with the man that had been ousted as head of security for the event. It had been clear to her that he had no idea of what threats London and the rest of the UK faced on a daily basis.

"Sadly, yeah." Dimitri sighed as they stepped around a BBC camera crew that were interviewing some low level politician he vaguely recognised. He shook his head as he realised Beth would know exactly who the prissy looking woman was.

"Bloody narrow minded idiots."

"They were given the job." Dimitri stated calmly as he held open the door for her.

"Not them, the politicians who gave them the job in the first place. You know Harry has demanded we have back up from the Army? Thank God he did too."

"Yeah." Dimitri agreed before resting his hand on her shoulder. "Erin, are you alright?"

"I will be once we stop this and find the scum that murdered Rosie's dad."

"You can call him your fiancé. You know that? It doesn't make you any weaker to admit you loved the man and he was murdered."

"I know what Matthew was to me." Erin's eyes filled with tears as she spoke. She wiped at them angrily. "I just want to get us all to Friday night in one piece."

"And we will. We will stop them."

"I hope you are right." She stepped past him in to the daylight. "I just hope you are right."

###########################

The August sunshine was doing nothing to improve Alec's mood as he walked alongside Beth as they walked around the Olympic Stadium. The building looked even bigger and to Alec more vulnerable as he looked around the empty seats.

"There are several ways in and out, thousands of volunteers, nurses, doctors, kids and not to mention the athletes and the spectators." Beth stated. Alec shrugged.

"Army on the door, its not going to be anything brought in on the night. Place will be in lockdown. Maximum security. Now if I was a mass murdering wannabe psychopath I wouldn't bring anything in on the night."

"No?" Beth raised an eyebrow. "You do surprise me."

"I aim to please." He teased back as she pulled a face.

"Really? I bet you say that to Juliet."

"You don't wanna know what I say to Juliet."

"Please, keep that to yourself. I haven't eaten yet." Beth snapped before walking over to the place where the iconic Olympic torch would light the flame. "What would you do?"

"Get a job here. Something low level. Gardener? Cleaner? Someone no one would worry about."

"Let's check the cleaner's cupboards then. Come on James Bond." She smirked as he rolled his eyes. "30 hours and counting, we haven't got all day." He resisted the urge to say anything and jogged after her, wondering when the women of Section D had begun to run the show.

########################

"Ros." Lucas looked up as she walked into the room. "Where are the kids?"

"Carrie said she'd keep them tonight. Lucas, it's hell in work."

"I can imagine." He held her gaze as she bit her bottom lip. They had barely been alone since his stabbing in the bowels of Thames House. They both knew he had taken a major risk when he had pushed Ruth away from Sasha Gavrik's knife. Now she was alone with her husband she barely knew what to say to him.

"The doctor said you can go home."

"Yeah." Lucas smiled slightly. "Ros? What is it?"

"You bloody idiot." Ros narrowed her eyes as she looked at him. "You could have died. If Ruth hadn't been there, for pity's sake."

"She saved my life. I know that." He stepped towards her. "If Ruth hadn't been there I probably still would have pushed myself in front of Harry or Stan. You know me." He touched her face.

"Yeah." Ros nodded. She knew there was a fair chance she would have done the same in his place. They were too similar in many ways. He brushed a strand of blonde hair away from her face as she spoke.

"If you'd have died, I would have killed you." She dragged her eyes away from his and stared at his chest. He sighed heavily before pulling her into his arms.

"I know. I'm sorry." He mumbled into her hair. His chest burned with the effort of holding his wife but to him it didn't matter. Ros closed her eyes as she wrapped her arms around him, knowing that there was no way she would let him hold her like this if there was even a chance that someone would walk in. She felt him tighten his hold on her as she closed her eyes. He was alive and he was coming home. "Take more than some FSB reject with a knife to get rid of me." He mumbled into her hair as she sighed. Pulling back from him she looked up into his eyes.

"Just don't get killed. That's all I ask. Leave me if you want."

"Ros."

"No listen to me. Whatever happens with us do not go and get yourselves killed. Adam had to have that conversation with Wes. I know I can't have that conversation with Amy and James. I just can't." Lucas kissed her hair as she spoke.

"Ok. It's a deal." He smiled slightly as he spoke, he knew how worried Ros had been the moment he had opened his eyes after his surgery. It was rare for Ros not to have some acerbic putdown or wise crack. It was even rarer to see the raw unguarded fear he had seen when he had first met her gaze. "Now if Carrie has the kids tonight and it's hell in work then maybe we should go back there? It's got to be better than me being at home feeling useless and worried sick about you."

"Get a move on then." Ros smiled slightly before grabbing his bag and walking out the room.

#############################################

Harry marched along the hospital corridors trying to make sense of Adam's garbled message. All he knew was Ruth was in hospital after she had collapsed in the field. He glanced up at the sign for the Maternity Unit as a young nurse appeared in the corridor.

"Ruth Pearce?" He almost barked at the young woman as she raised her eyebrow.

"And you are?"

"Her husband." Harry calmed down slightly. "She was brought in earlier by a young man."

"Her brother? Yes, I remember. She's in the last room on your right hand side."

"Thank you." Harry marched off in the direction she had given him. His heart beat dangerously fast in his chest; all thoughts of threats tot he Games and his friend returning home from hospital disappeared as he tried not to think about the panicked phone call rom Zoe or the urgent text message from Adam. Reaching the door he barged into the room to see Ruth laid on a plinth staring at the small polaroid in her hand.

"Harry?" Ruth looked up. "Don't panic, I'm fine."

"She is not fine." Mike appeared from a door Harry hadn't realised was there. "What she means is the baby is fine."

"Thank God." Harry held Ruth's gaze as she pulled her bottom lip between her teeth. "If the baby is fine,"

"Ruth." Mike stated calmly. "You fainted. Pregnant women can faint. But you also have high blood pressure and migraine disorder. Now I have no doubt that your blood pressure will return to normal once the little one makes an appearance but you have to rest. High blood pressure is not just a risk factor for Pre Eclampsia you know? Didn't your father have a stroke in his forties?"

"Yes." Ruth closed her eyes. She hated talking about her father's illness. "It wasn't that which lead to his death."

"He had cancer." Harry spoke quietly as Mike nodded.

"Just be aware, you have a familial history of high blood pressure. You work under insane pressure and you are having a high risk pregnancy. Please, bed rest. At least until the pressure normalizes."

"I can't." Ruth's eyes snapped to Mike's. "Not yet."

"You can." Harry held her hand. "You have to. For her." He glanced at her swollen abdomen. Ruth smiled slightly at her husband.

"The Games."

"We will deal with it. We have Malcolm and Tariq back at the base. Malcolm knows what he is doing." Mike nodded, knowing he really didn't want to know what Section D were working on this time he slipped out of the room.

"Harry, listen." She unclipped her watch to reveal a small micro data stick. "Here, I was going to give it to Adam, but then." She shrugged her shoulders.

"Where did you get this?" Harry looked at her in wonder.

"Lexi." Ruth explained, her eyes alive with the memory of going in to the field and no one trying to kill or maim her. "I met her earlier."

"And you hid it in your watch?" Harry smiled as he pocketed the device.

"Yes. Small enough to be overlooked by someone who would want to hurt me and inconspicuous enough to be missed by medical staff." She explained as Harry's eyes darkened.

"You, Ruth are a born spook."

"It's Cal and Erin I am worried about." Ruth sighed. "This case is murder for them."

"They will be fine. Please Ruth. Think of yourself for once." He held her hand as he stared into her eyes. Mike quietly left the room. "Think of me and the baby. Of Nick, what will we do if something happens to you? I couldn't bare it if." He closed his eyes. Ruth knew exactly what he meant. His greatest fear was waking up to find her gone for ever. She touched his face as she spoke.

"At home. I can rest at home. Not here. I hate hospitals."

"At home. For me? You'll take it easy." He kissed her palm as she nodded.

"For you. Now will you look at this photo? That is our daughter." Ruth handed him the photo of her latest ultrasound, so much more detailed than the first.

"She's beautiful."

"It's a scan. How can you know that?"

"She's ours. Of course our daughter is beautiful." Harry smiled as Ruth blinked back tears. She nodded as he continued to stare at the photograph. She knew he was having trouble making out the picture but she loved him for trying.

"Harry? I thought of a name. You can say no." She bit her lip nervously. "Don't worry it's not Greek or from the classics."

"Ok." Harry smiled slightly remembering their debate about names a few nights earlier.

"Gracie Jo. Not Joanna. Jo."

"Grace was my gran's name." Harry smiled. "Ruth."

"I know." Ruth held his gaze. "I wanted to call her after Jo. If it wasn't for her, I may never have come back to see you that day. It was her and Ros that talked me into coming to talk to you about my job. Well, Jo tried to persuade me. Ros threatened to frog march me to your office."

"Sounds like Ros." Harry smiled slightly, knowing he would forever be grateful to the Section Chief and the Junior Case Officer. "Gracie Jo Pearce. Ok, looks like Squeek has a name." He kissed Ruth's forehead as her eyes fluttered closed. "Let's get you home."

"Time is running out. 28 hours." Ruth opened her eyes. "It's not long."

"No, it isn't. But we will do this. We will have those Games in London safely. And we will both meet our little girl in a few weeks time with you and her fit and well." He kissed her again before leading her out of the hospital all the while hoping and preyign he was right.

################################

Zaf walked along the West London street with Calum as they followed the young man Julian Scmidt had been seen with earlier in the day. Malcolm helped with directing them via their ear pieces. Calum swore as he watched the young man head towards the Tube station.

"Zaf." Malcolm spoke quietly as Tariq leaned across his desk. Zaf began to pick up speed as Calum did the same.

"Hurry up Zaf." Tariq spoke sharply as the Pod doors whooshed open to allow Ros and Lucas to enter the Grid. Seconds later the sounds of a scuffle filled the air. Malcolm closed his eyes. "Zaf? Calum?" Tariq spoke as the scuffle seemed to intensify. Ros crossed to the technical officers, hoping the geek squad had managed to keep the connection with the two officers. The thought of Zaf getting hurt made Ros feel sick. He had been through too much in his youung life already.

"Status report. Now." She barked as Lucas stood silently next to her. The comms hissed and crackled into life as a gunshot exploded throguh the speaker. "Calum! Zafar!" Malcolm yelled as the room filled with a tense silence. Lucas rested a hand on Ros' back, knowing neither man was paying attention. He also knew she considered Zaf to be the brother she never had.

"We got him." Calum stated. "We're bringing in a person of interest."

"Gun fire?" Lucas frowned.

"No casualty." Zaf spoke firmly. "Mainly because Calum can't shoot for toffee." Ros smiled. She knew Zaf hated guns and usually refused to carry one. She was glad Calum had this time but made a mental note to send him for re certification as soon as the case was over.

"Good job. Get back here. Preferably in one piece." She killed the comms before closing her eyes and resting her hands on the desk in front of her. She was exhausted both mentally and physically. There was still twenty four hours to go. Malcolm and Tariq slipped away quietly as Lucas pulled his wife into his arms. They had a suspect, it wasn't much but it just may have been the break they were hoping for.

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A/N Who has Zaf and Calum arrested? Do you like the baby's name? Will Adam ever get to the church in time to marry Carrie? Will there even be a wedding? Please review xxx


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer I do not own Spooks.**

**Countdown?**

Ruth curled up on her bed, glad that Harry had finally gone back to the Grid. Smiling slightly she looked at Muggles and Fidget who had curled themselves up on the end of the bed. Scarlet laid in the doorway of the bedroom, as if the little terrier was guarding her mistress and the cats. She glanced at the clock on the bedside table, relieved that Nick wasn't due home for another couple of hours she opened the laptop.

"Fidget, don't look at me like that. I am resting." She smiled as the cat turned his back on her and settled down. Ruth rolled her eyes before returning to the computer. She tapped in her codes for Thames House and emailed Tariq. Something just didn't feel right and she had to know what was on the memory stick Lexi had given her.

#######################

"Tariq." Harry barked as the technical officer looked up. He knew better than to argue with his boss when he was in such a mood. Malcolm raised an eyebrow at Harry's outburst.

"Harry." Malcolm spoke calmly. "Zaf and Calum are on the way back in. There's been an arrest."

"Good." Harry barked, relieved that there seemed to be a little progress in the case. An arrest could lead to getting to the ringleaders sooner rather than later. He turned to Tariq as Beth and Alec walked back onto the Grid. Ros buried herself in the paperwork on her desk. Plans of the Olympic Stadium were stretched out over her's and Adam's workstations. She stared at the plans, aparently unaware that Harry was back.

"Tariq, Ruth gave me this." He handed the memory stick to him. "No doubt it is encrypted."

"Give me ten minutes or so." Tariq smiled as he took the small device.

"Ten minutes?" Harry raised an eyebrow, clearly impressed.

"New toy." Zoe explained as she passed Harry. "Zaf called. He's just booking the man he picked up in the cells with Stan."

"Ros?" Harry turned to his Section Chief. "You and Zaf interview him, I don't want Calum in that interview room with anyone who could be connected to his brother's death."

"To Matt's murder." Calum barked as he walked in the room. "No worries, Boss. I've got no intention of breathing the same air as anyone involved in my brother's murder. I couldn't look at our Rosie knowing I hadn't done something about it. I'm staying on the Grid from now on." He watched as Harry nodded. "Besides, I wouldn't do that to Catherine." He said in a quieter voice, aware that only Harry and Malcolm would be able to hear him.

"Right." Ros straightened up. "Where's Ruth?"

"Home." Harry barked. "Not to be disturbed, she's resting."

"Oh, right." Ros narrowed her eyes as she saw Tariq smirk at something on his computer screen. She had a feeling Ruth was far from obeying doctor's orders as she watched Tariq tap a few more keys while he replied to his email. "In that case, Calum find everything you can on the man you and Zaf brought in. I need it yesterday. Name, where he's from. How he knows our two suspects and what the Hell he thinks he is playing at. I need evidence to throw at him if we are going to stop this before tomorrow night."

Calum nodded once before shrugging his jacket off and sat down at his computer station. Harry had a feeling it was going to be a long night.

#################

Adam jogged across the road as the Heaven's opened. Swearing under his breath he tugged his collar tighter to him, hoping that he would be able to keep some of the rain out. He knew Carrie had been right when she had warned him about wearing such a thin jacket. Smiling slightly he shook his head as thoughts of his children and fiancé waiting for him came to mind. 'Not long." He muttered to himself. It was only a day tot he opening of the London Olympics but it was also less than a week until he would be married for the second time. He walked towards the entrance to Piccadilly Tube Station hoping that Erin and Dimitri would be there to meet him when he got on the platform. His contact had given him enough information to find out where Scmidt was, it was how Erin and Calum were going to react to the information that worried him most. He rolled his eyes as his phone rang. He answered it before the second ring.

"Harry? How's Ruth?"

"Ok, thanks to you." Harry stared out over the Grid as he spoke. Lucas walked from the kitchenette to Malcolm's desk as he spoke. It occurred to him that Lucas hadn't been home since he had left hospital and was no way cleared for duty. But Ros had seemed visibly less tense, which he had to admit was a good thing.

"What is it?" Adam dodged commuters as he walked down the steps tot he platform.

"Zaf and Calum have made an arrest." Harry spoke calmly. "Ruth recieved some information which Tariq is currently trying to decifer."

"Another memory stick?" Adam shook his head "Hold on, where's Ruth?"

"At home."

"With her laptop, which has a secure email connection to the Grid." Harry's eyes automatically fell to Ruth's empty desk as he rolled his eyes. He knew his wife well enough to know Adam was right.

"Meet with Erin and Dimitri and get back here."

"I have a location for Viktor and possibly Scmidt." Adam stated calmly as he saw Dimitri walk towards him.

"And you think taking Erin there is a good move? I'm not losing any personnel over this. Get back here. There will be a search carried out. Take Zaf, Alec and Dimitri with you. Erin and Calum are Grid bound until that is over."

"Harry?" Zoe got to her feet as he turned to face her.

"What is it?" He ended the call and walked towards where Lucas, Malcolm and Calum were crowded around Tariq's desk. The baby of the team looked incredibly worried as Malcolm rested a hand on his shoulder.

"Malcolm?" Harry walked past Zoe to where his old friend was staring at the screen.

"The new toy, as Zoe called it seems to work." He replied as Zoe bit her lip. Harry knew the last time he had seen her look so scared was when she had been forced into exile. That seemed a lifetime ago, he daren't think what could be frightening her to such an extent now; unless it involved Zaf or the children.

"Zoe?" Harry studied her face, knowing the spook could be incredibly guarded when she wanted to be. It wasn't always Ros that could be the Ice Queen.

"We have to get this to Ros and Zaf." She swallowed hard as Calum swore.

"Yeah."

"I'll page her now." Lucas narrowed his eyes. Harry turned his attention tot he screen.

"The stick Ruth picked up." Lucas began to explain, not sure that his reasoning was all it should be after his five week stay in hospital. "It shows that, well. This goes back further than we could ever have guessed."

"Indeed." Malcolm agreed. Tariq closed his eyes as Zoe gasped and stood back.

"Is that who I think it is?" Calum stared at the screen as a picture began to form. Harry narrowed his eyes as the picture of the man he had hit with a glass so many years earlier filled the screen.

"Yes. He is dead." Harry barked. "Oliver Mace is dead. I saw his body and before you ask, there is no way his death was faked."

"You sure about that?" Calum asked.

"Yeah." Lucas studied the photo. "He held Ruth hostage. Ros shot him. Point blank range."

"Saved Ruth's life." Harry closed his eyes for a moment, remembering Ruth's semi conscious form in his arms as Zaf had left him with her.

"Bloody Hell." Tariq shook his head. "This was before you came to us Cal. I was stil the new boy."

"You still are." Lucas teased as Harry raised an eyebrow. "Who is the man in the photo behind him? I don't recognise him."

"That is Joey Mace." Malcolm ran a hand over his tired face. "He is Mace's nephew."

"We need Ruth on this." Tariq started.

"Not going to happen." Harry barked. His wife and unborn child were more important that anything that work could throw at them. He stared straight ahead, trying to clear his thoughts. Mace had wanted to kill Ruth to hurt Harry. He had always known she was his weak spot. They had merely been courting when Mace had snatched her from under Lucas' nose. Now they were married and expecting a child. He could feel his anger building as he turned to Zoe.

"Get hold of Adam. Tell him to go to my house. Bring Ruth and Nick here. I'll call Catherine nad Graham." He paused. "Tariq, get this information to Zaf adn Ros. I don't think Zaf knows who he arrested. Calum find everything there is to find on this man. I want to know everything from why the Hell he is in London to what he ate for breakfast aged 12. Malcolm?"

"Harry."

"Mace was a wealthy man. He had no children. I can't believe he gave all his money to Nightingale. Even he wouldn't be so foolish."

"I'll get on to it." He nodded grimly as Harry turned and walked away. Zoe could be heard talking to Adam and he knew Calum would contact Catherine before he could. He took a deep breath as he heard Malcolm clear his throat. "Harry, you don't think?"

"What?"

"That this is revenge? Stage an attack on the Games using two violent, mercenary extremists to make Section D look foolish? Until Towers came to you with this we had no idea of the threat. He would have connections at GCHQ to stop the chatter being picked up by us? The financial means certainly?"

"Making me look stupid is one way of revenge. Blowing up half of London is a little extreme but then this is the Mace family we are talking about." He smiled slightly before returning to his office, hoping that Ruth would answer the door to Adam. He pinched the bridge of his nose before picking up the phone, knowing he had to warn her.

##########################

Ros walked into the interview room as Zaf took his seat. Joey Mace folded his arms and looked straight ahead. The dark haired man narrowed his eyes as Ros smiled. Zaf set up the tape recorder before stating who was in the room and what they were doing there.

"Strong, silent type?" Ros rested both hands on the table, every muscle in her body radiated tension from her. Zaf nodded. "Ok, I can understand that. You have the right to remain silent. But you should know one thing." She held his gaze as Zaf tensed next to her.

"Ros."

"No Officer Younis." Ros kept her eyes on the man opposite her, she knew Zaf had no idea who he was and it had been years since Oliver Mace had brought him to her house when he had met with her father. "He needs to know it doesn't matter who he is, uncle Oliver can't help him now."

############################

A/N Will Ruth be ok when Adam gets there? What else was on the memory stick and is Mace's nephew just like his uncle? Can Harry and the others save the Olympics and get Adam to the Registry Office on time? Not many people seemed to like the last chapter so I've gone for action again in this one in order to move the story on. The team have something like 29 hours until the Games start so this may not be the longest story I have ever written! Please review.


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer not mine.**

**Running out of Time?**

Ruth answered the phone on the second ring as Nick hunted in the freezer for fish fingers. She couldn't help but smile at her adopted son. It seemed the teenager had decided to look after her in Harry's absence and was now trying to make her fish fingers and chips for tea. He had no idea that Ruth really didn't fancy the idea of what she essentially thought of as children's foods. She just appreciated the thought.

"Harry, we are ok." She said on reflex as Muggles ran through the kitchen with Fidget hot on his heels. Scarlet raised her head and laid back down again. The aging terrier had no intention of joining in with the cat's game. Ruth gripped the phone tighter and walked towards the window as Harry spoke.

"No."

"Ruth, this is Mace's nephew. Joey Mace has always been a bit of a handful. Now with his uncle's money and connections." Harry pinched his nose as he paced his office. A million scenarios filled his mind, each worse than the last.

"But you have him in custody. Zaf arrested him."

"Yes." Harry sighed heavily.

"But that never stopped his uncle." Ruth stated Harry's thoughts for him.

"True. Adam is on his way. Please Ruth, get Nick and come here. I'll call Catherine and Graham, make sure they are safe."

"Ok." She walked towards where Scarlet's lead was hung in the kitchen. Nick turned from the freezer.

"What is it?" He stood holding the frozen fish fingers in his hand as someone started hammering on the front door. "Who?" Ruth shook her head before walking as quickly as she could towards the front door. A shadow through the glass told her it wasn't Adam come to rescue them. She froze for a second as images of Mani's men came to mind. She turned and ran as much as she could towards the kitchen.

"Nico."

"Who is it?"

"Get the dog and get out the back. Now." Ruth was reminded of her escape from Cyprus. He froze for a moment as Ruth threw the lead to him. "Get Scarlet, please Nico."

"Ok, ok." The frozen food bounced across the floor as she looked out of the kitchen window. A black Seat Leon parked outside her house as a tall dark-haired man walked up the path. Ruth swore loudly as the baby kicked.

"Now." Ruth backed up towards the back door just as the door opened.

"Adam!" Nick stared at the older man as Adam smiled.

"Harry said you may be needing a lift." He watched as Ruth glanced back towards the front door. "Come on Ruth."

"I'm coming."

Nick picked up the little dog as the cats flew past him. Adam ushered the teenager and his friend towards the back gate as gunfire exploded around them.

########################

"We know you are involved in a plot to derail the Olympics." Ros stared at the man opposite her. Zaf remained silent next to her. "Oh, I see." Ros smiled slightly. No warmth his her eyes. Zaf was reminded of a rattle snake about to devour it's prey. He knew his friend was more than capable of getting most people to talk, it was whether the younger Mace man was as stoic as his dead uncle remained to be seen.

"Strong silent type?" Zaf scoffed as Ros inclined her head slightly, it was the only indication she remembered Zaf was in the room with her.

"No." She shook her head slightly, her eyes never left Mace's. "Too stupid to know what's good for him. I'll ask again and it is the last time I am going to ask." She narrowed her eyes as Mace swallowed. "Where are Julian Schmidt and Viktor Kruchevski?"

"No comment." Mace smiled.

"And that is your first mistake. You really think they wouldn't sell you out if they were here? You really think they would be loyal to you? I can see you didn't inherit your uncle's intelligence." Ros got to her feet and marched out the room leaving Zaf to formally charge him. Zaf shook his head sadly, he had a feeling Ros had met the man opposite him more than once.

"She's right, you know? You are not walking away from this. London 2012 has been planned for more years than you can imagine. It's goes back further than one day in July 2005. It goes way back and you and your mates are not going to spoil what some peopel have worked a lifetime for." Zaf pushed his chair back as the other man smirked. "Right, Joseph Andrew Mace, you are charged with offences under the Anti Terrorism Act 2009. Namely incitement to commit a terrorist act and or to procure others to do the same. You have the right to remain silent." He began as the man opposite him glowed with anger. Zaf had a feeling this wasn't the last they would see of Mace as much as he hoped it would be.

################

"Erin?" Ruth bundled Nick into the back of the car as Adam turned to see who was firing at them.

"Hi." Erin smiled. "Like we'd let Adam do this on his own. Nick." She smiled at the teenager as she revved the engine. Adam raised an eyebrow. Scarlet barked while Ruth turned her back to watch the men rampaging through her house.

"Ruth?"

"Why now?" Ruth asked. "Adam? Why now?"

"With the Mace family? Who knows?" He watched Ruth nod and rest a hand on her baby bump. For a moment he had a feeling she was not talking about the raid on her house.

"Get to the Grid." Adam addressed Erin who just nodded and floored the accelerator.

#######################

Harry stared at the video footage Malcolm was running on his computer screen. He knew Adam had taken Erin to pick up Ruth and Nick. Catherine had agreed to take Charlie to Callum's and wait for him there while Graham and Terri were away from london for the day. The knowledge his older kids and grandson were safe did nothing to calm his nerves. He knew the rest of the team could see he was worried but he had to keep going, he was the head of Section D. That was all that mattered. He knew the younger members of the team would fall apart if they thought he was unable to cope.

"Callum?"

"Yes?" He turned to him. "This footage?" He nodded towards the screen. "Run the men through the facial recon. Find out who they are. I'd like to know who has just broken into my home."

"Yes sir." Callum nodded as he tapped a few keys on the computer screen. Tariq frowned at his screen before shaking his head and turning away.

"What is it?" Zoe asked.

"Beth and Alec are going to need back up." He stated calmly before turning his computer screen so that Harry and Malcolm could see the CCTV footage Tariq was concerned about.

"So it seems." He barked. The Pod doors opened to allow Ros and Zaf to reënter the Grid. Lucas looked up and smiled slightly as his wife walked in. "Ros."Harry straightened up. "Alec needs back up. Get down to the Olympic Stadium. Take a team with you."

"Fine." Ros turned on her heel. Lucas got to his feet.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm back Harry. Why wait for Occy Health to tell us what we already know?"

"Are you coming or what?" Ros snapped. Dimitri and Zaf were already hot on her heels.

"Go on then." Harry barked. "Oh and Ros?"

"What?" Ros deadpanned.

"No heroics."

"As if." Dimitri rolled his eyes before disappearing after them.

###############################

A/N Just a short update. Is anyone reading this? Please let me know.


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer not mine**

**Memory**

Harry walked away from the team, knowing that Adam and Erin had arrived at his house. The last communication he had with Erin had told him there was a strange car on his doorstep. He had no idea who the car belonged to. That in itself was a worry. He closed his eyes and tried not to panic at the thought Ruth and Nick were going through the same escape from chaos and terror as they had done when Mani's men had terrorized them. Only this time he had no idea how it would affect a heavily pregnant Ruth and a teenager who had already seen more heartache than most grown men had seen in a lifetime.

#######

"Bloody Hell." Nick's eyes widened as he watched the car behind them swerve to avoid a cyclist.

"Yeah." Adam smiled as the teenager swore. He couldn't help but notice the way Ruth's eyes narrowed slightly as her adopted son swore. He knew Ruth rarely swore around anyone so he had a feeling she wasn't entirely happy with him but was willing to let this one go.

"Who are they?" Ruth asked, one hand resting on her baby bump. She was breathing heavily and clearly in discomfort as Adam turned in the front passenger seat to face her. He shrugged his shoulders as the little dog settled on to Nick's arm.

"Not entirely sure." Erin stated calmly. "Not ours, at least."

"Oh that makes all the difference." Ruth snapped. Scarlet barked her annoyance.

"Put your foot down." Adam checked his gun as he spoke, hoping Nick hadn't seen him doing so. The little dog yapped again, her paws resting on the back of the car and nose pressed against the window. "Nick, mate."

"Yeah?"

"Hold on to Scarlet."

"Why?"

"Just hold on to her." Adam gritted his teeth as he realised the black car he had noticed parked outside Ruth and Harry's house was gaining on them faster than they had thought possible. Ruth's already pale face was close to ashen as Erin braked hard and swung the Audi around the corner. He frowned slightly, knowing she would be annoyed if he mentioned it, the last thing she needed was having Nick worry about her more than he already was.

"Nick, do as Adam says." Ruth tried to keep her voice calm but she knew what Adam was thinking. She had already spotted the metal barrel of the gun in his hand. She hoped Nick hadn't. Explaining why Mace was back and why he had reason to hate them so much was a conversation she had hoped never to have. Erin narrowed her eyes as she saw what Adam was doing.

"Adam."

"When I say, turn the car around and head back towards them. We'll get to Thames House the long way around." Adam glared. Ruth fell silent in the back of the car. She knew Erin was probably the best defensive driver in the Section but she also knew that the woman was the one who took the most risks. Biting her bottom lip she prayed that whatever Adam and Erin had planned she would be with Harry before long.

"You sure?"

"Yes." Adam forced the word out through gritted teeth. Ruth turned to see Nick clinging onto Scarlet for dear life and shaking quietly. Sighing she reached across and took his hand in hers.

"It will be ok." She hoped she sounded more confident than she felt. A wave of guilt washed over her. It was the second time he had to run for his life since she had fallen into his life. Neither time he really understood why. "Oh Nico." She squeezed his hand as he nodded once. The sound of gunfire snapped them to the present as Adam leaned out of the window. Erin dug the breaks in, forcing the tyres to screech in protest. Seconds later the car swerved dangerously to the left.

"SHIT!" Erin snapped. Scarlet barked as the car continued to skid out of control. Ruth turned to see a thin white man leaning out of the car window with his gun raised. A wave of anger washed over her as she realised this man had intended to kill her and her family. In that moment she knew, she didn't care what happened at the Olympics. She had to get home. This was personal.

###########################

,"Ok." Ros parked the car in a quiet side street in North London. The street was almost deserted as Zaf unclipped his seatbelt.

"You reckon the bomb factory is here?" Dimitri stated as Ros glared straight ahead.

"Never know until we have a look. Dimitri, Zaf you both go around the back. Lucas stay here."

"No."

"Lucas, watch the house. I need to know if we are going to have any unexpected company." Ros was back in full Ice Queen mode. There was no way she was going to risk anything going wrong. If the men they were looking for were involved with Mace in any way there was a fair chance they were not only highly skilled and intelligent; they were also well-financed. That meant they were more than able to afford to buy half of North London, keeping a bomb factory quiet in a leafy suburb was not going to be a problem.

"C'mon then." Zaf smiled cheekily as Lucas fell silent. He knew she was right but he hated being left behind. The last thing he wanted was for the others to think that he was being given special treatment because he was married to the Section Chief. Shaking his head slightly he smirked, for the first time he realised how Ruth felt. _What was it I told Ruth? Be brave? Just go for it? About time I did that. Take your own advice Lucas John North. _He tried not to worry as he watched Ros march towards the impressive looking townhouse Tariq's intelligence had told them was likely to be the bomb factory.

#############

"Malcolm." Harry barked as he marched out of his office. Calum and Tariq exchanged glances. Both knew better than to say anything when Harry was in the mood he was in. The Pearce temper was legendary.

"Harry." Malcolm kept his eyes on the computer screen, apparently unperturbed by Harry's temper.

"Any news?"

"No."

"Nothing?" Harry ran a hand over his face. He knew there was very little chance of hearing anything from Ros and her team for at least another hour. It was Adam and Ruth he really had hoped to hear from by now.

"Lucas called." Zoe shrugged her denim jacket off. "They got there ok. Looks as though we were right. Zaf and Dimitri are going in with Ros now."

"Good." Harry sighed heavily. "At least that's something. How much longer?"

"Twenty three hours and counting." Tariq remained impassive. He focused on the computer screen as he felt Harry pace behind them.

"CCTV?" Harry kept pacing. Zoe raised an eyebrow, aware that her boss was thinking on his feet. They were running out of time. It was less than a day until the London ceremony and less then than that until the Cardiff Millenium Stadium hosted the GB versus New Zealand women's football.

"Not with Ros and her team. Seems that part of London doesn't have any cameras. Well not on the system anyway. There may be home owners with private security cameras." Malcolm narrowed his eyes.

"Can we access those?" Zoe asked.

"Ordinarily no." Malcolm sighed.

"But it is possible?" Harry asked. Tariq smiled and shook his head as Malcolm rolled his eyes.

"Oh yes." Tariq watched as Harry held his gaze. "And if you ask if I can do it, then I will be mortally offended."

"Can you?"

"Oh course." Tariq tapped a few keys, waited a moment as data flew across the screen before a grainy picture of Lucas sat in Ros' car came into view. It seemed the only security camera in the street was focused on the Senior Field Officer rather than where the rest of the team were. Harry swore, knowing that they would get nothing useful from the views they had.

"Harry." Calum broke the tense silence, almost afraid to drag his eyes away from his own monitor. "You want to see this."

"What?" Harry barked.

"The car parked outside your house."

"The one which doesn't belong to Catherine." Harry stated as Calum nodded.

"Yeah, that one. Just found out who owns it."

"Don't tell me." Harry shook his head.

"Viktor Kruschev." Ruth stated as the pod doors closed behind her. Harry froze for a second. He knew he had imagined her marching into his office when she was away but this seemed so real that he had to stop in his tracks. Scarlet barking loudly and running towards him stopped him in his tracks.

"Hello girl." He picked the terrier up as Ruth smiled slightly. Her hand was still firmly on the teenager's shoulder as she watched him. For a moment it was like there was no one else in the room. "Ruth, Nick? You both alright?"

"Yeah." Nick nodded. "Erin's driving is awesome. I mean there was this handbreak turn and .." He went to go on as Zoe ushered him towards the kitchen. The look on Harry's face a cross between sheer relief that his family were alive and horror that Erin had driven like a madwoman through the streets of London with his heavily pregnant wife and teenage stepson in the car.

"Ruth? My office." He stepped back, giving her no choice but to follow.

#########################

"Bloody Hell." Beth snapped as she opened the car door. Alec had insisted on drive, stating that he would like to get back to Thames House in one piece rather than risk spending the night in A&E. She glared angrily at him as he started the engine.

"Security seems pretty good there." He tried not to let the smile show on his lips, knowing that Beth would have something to say if she sw.

"Yeah." Beth replied. "Ros has the plans laid out, so we know the potential weak spots. Tomorrow is going to be a nightmare." She dug out her mobile phone as it started ringing. Alec drove in silence while Beth listened to Dimitri on the other end of the line.

"What did Lover Boy want?"

"Dimitri." Beth corrected. "They found the bomb factory."

###################

"Ruth." Harry breathed her name as he pulled her into his arms, glad that he had left the blinds closed. "I."

"We're fine." Ruth held him a little tighter as he buried his head in her neck. "We may need a new front door and the kitchen is a bit of a mess."

"I don't care if the house was blown apart." HArry pulled back and brushed a strand of stray hair away from her face. "Ruth."

"I know." She covered his hand with her own. "BUt we are fine. And that car did belong to Viktor. I'd bet what's left of the house on it."

"Fine." Harry kissed her again before pulling back. "I'll talk to Joey, see if he remembers me."

#################

Lucas sat in the car counting the minutes since he had watched Ros walk through the front door. It seemed as though hours had passed rather than minutes. Something was wrong, he could sense it but had no idea what it was. Gingerly he looked behind him at the deserted street. A small red transit van had parked a few feet away as a teenager on a mountain bike cycled past. He knew he was being paranoia but he couldn't help himself. "Ros." He spoke into the comms, hoping that she could hear him. "Ros?" Seconds later the car shook as glass and debris exploded out on to the street. Car alarms screamed in protest as Lucas sat staring at the bomb factory in shock. Smoke and flying debris hit the air as he finally came to his senses and ran towards the house, unable to believe what he was seeing.

################

A/N Are they all dead? How did Dimitri get a message to Beth? Is Ruth right? Will the ceremony go ahead adn will Adam ever get to his stag night? Please review.


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer not mine.**

**Dust.**

"Bloody Hell." Dimitri groaned. The explosion had knocked him back into the garden wall. He could just about hear properly and he was sure he was about to vomit when he heard Zaf groan slightly. "You ok?"

"Yeah." Zaf pushed himself into he sitting position. He coughed loudly and held his ribs. "I think the explosion was around the front."

"Ros." Dimitri got to his feet.

"Oh God." Zaf paused. He was certain that there was no way he was going to see his friend again.

###############

"There's been an explosion." Tariq threw his headphones on to the desk. "The bomb factory, actually."

"Was the bomb factory." Calum finished his sentence. "Any way we can get hold of Ros and the others? Lucas is still there?"

"I'll try." Malcolm started. He couldn't shake the feeling in the pit of his stomach that something had happened to his friends. He knew Ros had a habit of finding trouble, he just hoped Lucas had been there to drag her out of it. He pressed the button that would activate the comms.

"Base to Rangefinder?" He closed his eyes as the comms remained silent.

################

"ROS!" Lucas ran towards the burnt out building avoiding the glass and debris that surrounded him, the car alarms were still screaming. He could just about make out the figure laying on the floor. He fell to his knees as he reached her. "Ros."

###############

Alec drove away from the Olympic Stadium as Beth tried and failed to get any answer from the team. She closed her eyes for a moment in frustration as she picked up the phone again. The rain began to batter the car as Alec pressed his foot on the accelerator.

"Try again." Alec stated calmly as Beth rolled her eyes.

"Why didn't I think of that." She snapped as she pressed the number for the Grid and gave the security code that would put her through to Malcolm's desk. She was worried sick and had to know what had happened to Dimitri. Alec fell silent listening to her wait to put the call through. He didn't want anyone to know but he was as worried about the others as Beth was.

################

Ruth sat at her computer as the data she had looked for began to scroll up the screen. Frowning slightly she tried not to think what Zoe was going through as they waited for news on Zaf and the rest of the team. She knew what it was like not to know what had happened to th Harry. She hated to think about how she had felt on the few occasions Harry had been missing.

"Ruth?" Zoe walked across to her.

"Any news?" Ruth's eyes snapped up.

"No." Zoe looked away for a moment. "Where's Harry?"

"He had to meet with the Olympic minister and Dewi is coming from Cardiff for the meeting. The match in Wales is apparently looking secure. His team has every avenue covered or so he says." Ruth smiled slightly.

"It's just us on the back foot." Zoe sighed.

"But then." Ruth sighed. "We usually are."

"Ruth?" Zoe watched as Ruth looked back at the computer and frowned. She rested one hand on her baby bump before turning back to Zoe.

"You know Tariq is always saying follow the money?"

"Yeah?" Zoe lent over her shoulder as Tariq and Calum suddenly became interested in what the women were talking about.

"What am I always saying?" Tariq asked.

"Follow the money." Zoe replied.

"So I did." Ruth frowned. "I need to talk to Harry."

"What why?" Calum asked. "What have you found?"

"The money. Oliver Mace died almost four years ago." Ruth started. "You know that."

"All I know is Ros shot him." Calum answered.

"And that is all you need to know at this juncture." Malcolm snapped before turning his attention to Beth who was talking hurriedly on the phone. He had no idea what the young woman was talking about but he knew he had to try to pay her his full attention.

"Yes, well." Ruth sighed. "When he died he was a rich man. A very rich man. Seems he had secure accounts in the UK and America as well as a few accounts in different alias' in Switzerland and Saudi Arabia."

"Not all legal, I bet." Zoe narrowed her eyes as she remembered the bald-headed man who had been able to terrorise Section D. The only man who had caused Harry to spectacularly loose his cool. She still didn't know the real reason Ruth had been in Cyprus for so long but she was willing to bet Mace was at least part of the reason.

"Go on." Erin started as she pulled her jacket on. Adam raised an eyebrow before walking towards the Pods.

"What money he didn't leave to Nightingale he left to his niece and nephew. Only his niece, Jessica has had noting to do with her uncle since she was twenty two. Married a man he didn't approve of. In fact she hasn't spoken to anyone in her birth family since she got married."

"Really? Why?" Adam was suddenly interested.

"They didn't like the fact she can stand up for herself. If seems Jessica Hassan was not the kind of girl to do as Uncle Oliver wanted." Tariq smiled slightly as he leant across and read what was on Ruth's computer screen.

"Exactly." Ruth sighed. "And the rest went to Joey."

"Who has paid the two Russian thugs to derail the Games." Tariq replied. The room fell silent as Malcolm swore loudly.

"What is it?" Erin turned sharply, half wishing she and Adam had already left.

"Ros. I think." He stopped. "Beth and Alec just got to the scene."

#########################

Ros laid on the floor, half crushed by the oak front door that had landed across her legs and abdomen. She daren't open her eyes, everything hurt too much. She dragged oxygen into her lungs, vaguely aware that someone was calling her name and brushing her hair away from her forehead. Her lungs burned with the effort of dragging air in and out of her already damaged body. For a moment she was back there, dragging a paralysed Home Secretary along the hotel then the image changed and she was being pinned to the floor by the sweaty bulk of Harrison the demon headmaster. seconds later her eyes snapped open as she felt the weight lift from her legs.

"What?" She blinked a few more times as she realised Alec and Zaf were helping Lucas pull the door and surrounding masonry away from her.

"Keep still." Alec snapped.

"Bloody Hell." Ros whispered, aware that she was shaking uncontrollably. Lucas helped her to her feet aware that she was shaking but that Ros was trying to ignore it. He knew the others would have noticed and prayed that none of them would mention it, out of respect for her if nothing else. He caught Zaf's eye as Ros turned and looked around the street.

"You alright, Ros?" Zaf asked as Beth looked down the street.

"No." Ros snapped. "I am far from alright." She paused, aware that the rest of the team were not used to hearing her admit she was anything less than fine.

"Ros?" Lucas knew she was angry but there was something else behind her eyes. He knew her well enough to see she was shaken by what had happened. He had a feeling it was more than just being half flattened by the door.

"I want these idiots." She paused. "This country has been expecting these Games for the best part of the decade. They are not ruining this." She turned and walked back towards the car. Zaf dug in his pocket, relieved to see his mobile still worked. Lucas nodded towards Dimitri.

"Get a clean up team here."

"Ok." Dimitri nodded as he walked way holding his phone in one hand. Zaf watched Lucas walk after Ros. He knew there was more to it than Ros was letting on but there was no way she was going to say anything else. He turned back to Alec and Beth. It seemed Beth was deep in conversation with someone back on the Grid. There was less than twenty four hours to the Opening Ceremony of the Games and all he could do was hope they were on the right track.

#####################

Harry walked back into Thames House relived that he hadn't had to spend as long with the Home Secretary and his sidekick as he had feared. Stan smiled slightly as Harry passed through security.

"Afternoon Sir." Stan raised a hand as Harry nodded.

"Stan."

"Adam asked me to get you to meet him in the interview room. He say to me that your Ruth has found something useful."

"I am sure she has." He smiled slightly before turning and walking towards the entrance to the Interview Suite. He had a feeling whatever Ruth and Adam had to tell him was going to be enough to break the case. He glanced up towards the security camera in the corner of the corridor knowing that Ruth and Malcolm were probably going to watch the whole interview. He knew Mace junior had big ideas, he just hoped he didn't have the intelligence his uncle had.

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A/N Next chapter, the opening ceremony gets underway. Please review. Think I am going to carry this one on for a while yet :D


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer not mine. Very angsty and although not an M verges on it with adult themes and violence discussed by Ruth and Ros. Avoid if this upsets or offends you.**

**Let the Games Begin?**

Harry walked into the Interview Room aware that Adam was going to be waiting for him. Adam looked up for a moment but quickly returned his attention to the younger man sat opposite him. He pressed the record button on the tape recorder as Harry dragged his chair out from under the table.

"Hello Joseph." Harry stated as he calmed down. "I believe my colleague here has already read you your rights. You are charged with several breaches of the Anti Terrorism Act."

"I also have the right to remain silent." Joey smirked as Harry tried to keep his temper under control. He still had no real idea what had happened to his Section Chief and several of his junior officers. All he knew was Ruth had come up with something that would nail the little creep opposite him.

"You know?" Harry leant back as Adam rested his elbows on the table. "I really thought I'd see something in you."

"In him?" Adam tried to work out where Harry was going. It was a change in conversation shift he hadn't been expecting.

"I worked with and alongside Oliver Mace for more years than I care to remember. He was a ruthless, instinctive officer. He was as corrupt as Hell of course but at least you got the sense you were dealing with a man who knew his stuff." Harry explained. "Maybe it's my age."

"Maybe." Adam smirked.

"You are younger than me." Harry addressed Adam. "Maybe you see it? The intelligence we saw in his scum of an uncle."

"He was not scum." Joey's voice fell lower. Harry narrowed his eyes, knowing the younger Mace was falling directly into the trap he had set for him. "Oliver Mace was more of a man than you ever could be"

"Oh I agree." Harry leant forward. "More than you certainly are."

"Now hold on." Adam started. "I dunno about that. What I want to know about is how an idiot like him became involved with two Russian mercenaries."

"In good time." Harry smiled slightly. Adam smirked, aware what Harry was up to. Harry narrowed his eyes. "He's right, of course. I am nothing like the man his dear departed uncle was."

"True." Adam nodded.

"I never framed an innocent woman for murder. I never condoned torture of suspects to get intel. I never kidnapped anyone in my life or got anyone else to do it for me. Oh and while I'm at it I never disowned any member of my family merely for falling in love with the wrong person. By the way, how is Jessie? It's been decades since Oliver brought you both to play with my oldest two." Harry smirked as Joey gulped.

"Don't bring my sister into this."

"So you admit you actually have a sister? Progress I suppose." Harry leant back in his seat and watched the younger man begin to sweat. "Because I think she would like to eb left alone. You know that and so do I. But I promise you Joey. I promise you I will stoop as low as dear old Uncle Olly and drag her and her family back to London to see what she knows about what happened to the money." He watched Joey fall silent. "See if she knows what happened to your share and indeed her share of your inheritance."

"You wouldn't." Joey snapped.

"I can have two officers in South Africa find her and put her on a plane in under ten minutes. We know where she is, what she is doing and what she bought for tea yesterday." Adam lied fluently. "So I suggest you start talking."

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Ros marched back into Thames House in silence. She had no intention of speaking to anyone until she was certain she wasn't going insane. Beth glanced across at her as they entered the lift with Zaf, Dimitri and Lucas seconds behind them. Lucas shook his head slightly, warning Beth to remain silent. Whatever it was she had to say could wait. The lift opened on the fifth floor and all the spooks stepped out. Ros nodded towards the women's toilets.

"I'll be there in a minute." She stated.

"Ok." Zaf frowned as he watched her walk away. Lucas took a deep breath. His scar reminding him that was not the best idea. "She's not coping."

"What?" Lucas turned back to his friend.

"Ros." Zaf nodded towards the now closed bathroom door. "I dunno what happened but something was going through her mind back there and it was nothing to do with the bomb factory." He walked towards the Pods aware that the others were already back on the Grid.

###############

Ruth looked up and frowned slightly as Nick walked towards her. She knew the teenager had seen more than most boys his age and the last thing she wanted was for him to see even more heartache.

"Mum." He sat in Zaf's vacated chair. "Why were those men trying to get in our house?"

"I'm not really sure." Ruth tried not to lie but the last thing she wanted to do was tell him the truth. He knew their jobs were something to do with law and policing but he had no idea what.

"Reminded me of the day you brought me and Dad to London."

"Yeah." Ruth sighed. "I know. I thought about that too."

"Ok." Nick looked across the Grid. "But I was nine then. Only little. I don't expect to have anyone tell a nine-year old kid what that was about. But Mum, I'm a teenager now. You have to stop treating me like I dunno what goes on."

"Nick." Ruth felt her heart break slightly as he smiled at her. He was so like George in so many ways but she was also starting to see Harry's mannerisms in the way he moved and spoke.

"No, listen to me. I need to know. If I am going to be a big brother I need to know what I am going to have to protect Squeak from. Its obvious you are not just a woman who works in an office and Harry certainly isn't just some high ranking police officer."

"No he isnt." Ruth looked away as she tried to gather her thoughts. She had known he would have questions. "Ok. Ok. I am an intelligence analyst."

"Senior intelligence analyst." Zaf stated as he shooed Nick off his chair. "And that is my chair, thanks. I need it after today. Where's Zo?"

"Records room with Calum." Ruth answered as he shrugged his shoulders.

"Look, just tell him. Kids have signed the Act before. Jo's mum signed it."

"Ok, ok." Ruth knew they didn't have much time to get the Games underway. The final whistle had already blown in Cardiff with team GB through to the next round. "I am a Senior Intelligence Analyst for the Anti Terrorism (Domestic) Section of MI 5. We are known as Section D. Harry is the Section Head. Our Boss."

"Really?" Nick raised an eyebrow. "You? You're spies?"

"Really." Ruth smiled at his reaction.

"Yeah, they really are."Zaf smirked. "And that reaction is what makes Harry and your Mum the best at what they do. And because they are the best is why so many people, like those headcases today want to stop them."

"We're all good at what we do." Ruth smiled slightly. "Tell anyone at school and..."

"I will personally make sure you have the paper round from Hell." Zaf finished as Nick rolled his eyes.

"I had an idea but actually hearing you say it. Way cool." Nick got up as Zaf and Ruth exchanged glances. Both adults watched him walk towards the kitchenette and fought the urge to burst out laughing.

####################

Ros ran her hands through her short blonde hair and looked in teh mirror over the sinks. She felt sick, her hair ws covered in rubble and every cell in her legs burnt. Shaking her head she shrugged off her leather jacket and ran the taps, determined to wash some of the debris off her skin and clothes. It was only when she caught sight of her burned nad scarred arms that she couldn't keep the tears in any longer. She switched off the taps and bolted into the nearest cubicle.

#######################

"RUth." Lucas leant against her desk while Zaf wandered after Zoe who had just walked in with an arm full of files. Ruth looked across, silently hoping the files weren't all going to find themselves on her desk.

"Lucas." She smiled slightly. "How are you feeling now? You should be resting."

"I'm ok." He smiled shyly. It still amazed Ruth that he could be so self conscious. The man who kept telling her to be brave was actually the quietest man on the Grid. Even Malcolm spoke up for himself more than the man in front of her. "It's Ros."

"What's wrong?"

"She's having flashbacks. I know she is but I can't get through to her." He looked at the floor. "I have no idea if it's the hotel bomb, something from when she was a girl or when Harrison had her. All I know is she is blocking everyone out again."

"You think something happened that she isn't telling us?" Ruth knew Harry had punched Harrison when he and Zaf had interviewed him. She had no idea that Ros hadn't spoken to Lucas about the attack, but then she knew Ros was probably the most competent woman she had ever known when it came to hiding what she didn't want the world to see and she had always stated she had no recall of anything that had happened once Harrison had drugged her.

"She says she can't remember anything." Lucas looked at Ruth. "But."

"You think she is lying?"

"No." Lucas sighed. "No I really don't think she is. I think she doesn't want to remember but bits are coming back. It happened to me in Russia. I know Zaf said his time with the Redbacks is a blur. Maybe it's the brain's way of protecting itself."

"Maybe." Ruth smiled sadly. "I'll talk to her. Stay here and keep an eye out for Harry and Adam. They have Mace JUnior in the cells."

"Ok." Lucas nodded. "Ruth?"

"Yeah?"

"That's something else I should apologise for. That op where Oliver Mace took you."

"Not your fault." Ruth swallowed hard. She remembered every taunting word Mace had ever said to her, every insult he had thrown about Harry. She had never blamed Lucas for being beaten up by his henchmen when they were undercover together.

#################

"Zaf." Zoe smiled as he pulled her into his arms. "You ok?"

"Now I am." He kissed her as he felt her arms wrap themselves around his waist. "Don't tell me you were worried?"

"Umm." Zoe smiled as he kissed her again. "I was mildly concerned."

"Concerned enough to set a date?" He hugged her as he watched her roll her eyes.

"We'll see."

######################

"Ros?" Ruth pushed the door to the women's toilets open. The room remained silent as Ruth listened. "Ros? Oh come on. I'm almost 33 weeks gone. I am not going to look under toilet doors to find you."

"Ruth, leave it." Ros walked out the end stall and headed towards the sink.

"No." Ruth turned nad leant against them. "You are going to be Grace's godmother. I am not going to leave it."

"Haven't said yes yet."

"You haven't said no."

"You know something? I think I liked pre Cyprus Ruth. At least then I could glare at you and you'd scurry away and leave me alone."

"Tough, you got this version." Ruth folded her arms. "Now, in the space of a day I have been chased from my house, dragged halfway across London with Harry's dog and Nick. Erin drives like a formula one driver on crack and Adam is a crap shot at those speeds. Now I am waiting to see what, if anything the intel I went through will get from Joey and my husband is facing down another Mace."

"They keep crawling out the woodwork."

"True." Ruth sighed . "So I can do without having to worry about you too. What happened?"

"We found the bomb factory. Damn place was booby-trapped."

"Not what I meant."

"Ruth."

"Ros."

"What?"

"Stop it. I know what it feels like, remember. To blame yourself for something that isn't your fault. You know that with the combination of drugs that scum pumped into your system there was no way you could fight back." Ruth watched as Ros' eyes filled with pain. She knew the exact combination of Ketamine, dihydrocodiene nad other hallucinogens and anaesthetic that had been pushed through her skin.

"I shouldn't be able to remember."

"But you can?" Ros closed her eyes.

"I."

"Oh Ros." Ruth felt her heart break a little as she saw the woman they all knew was the toughest member of Section D shake in front of her. "Oh Ros, talk to Lucas. You have to at least talk to him." Ruth pulled her friend into her arms nad let her cry. Minutes passed as Ruth pulled back and shook her head. "It'll get better."

"Will it?"

"I'm living proof it does." Ruth watched as Ros nodded. "But only when you stop blaming yourself. And let others help. Lucas loves you so much."

"I know." Ros smiled sadly as she thought of her husband. "You tell anyone I was in here, like this."

"Not a word." Ruth agreed. "Not even to Harry. Trust me, I still have to tell him Nick knows what this place is and what we do."

"Shit."

"Oh yeah, that'll hit the fan. Now come on. Wash your face and I'll see you in a few minutes." She stepped away as the baby kicked sharply. Ros nodded before looking back at her reflection. Ruth stepped away and pulled the door open.

"Ruth?"

"Yeah?" She turned back to see Ros facing the mirror. The Ice Queen was firmly back in place. Only a few people would ever see behind the mask.

"Thanks." Ruth smiled slightly before walking back to the Grid.

######################

Adam walked alongside Harry as they headed back to the Grid. He remained silent as he thought about what had happened in the interview room. Harry presed the button for the lift as he appraised Adam.

"When we get back to the Grid I want a search team at the address Joey gave us." Adam paused as Harry nodded.

"Yes. Send Beth and Dimitri. I also want Tariq to run a search of given points between both addresses. He would love to see half this section blown to pieces. Today's adventure shows that." Harry frowned, deep in thought.

"So?"

"So, we don't give him the satisfaction. We already destroyed the bomb factory now all we have to do is round up the culprits. Both Russians are being very quiet at the moment. Makes me think they are up to something. Only they don't know we are on to them. I'd like to have them both in before James Bond jumps out that damn helicopter tomorrow night." Harry smirked as Adam shook his head and watched him walk back into the Grid.

#################

A/N Please review. More soon?


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer not mine. Again sorry for the delay in updating. Just to be sure, this chapter picks up from the end of The Brink which is a companion piece to this story. That may be why this chapter seems a little disjointed where Ros and Lucas are concerned.**

**The Game Makers?**

"Are you sure about this?" Dimitri asked as he walked through the crowds trying to get into the Olympic Stadium. He dodged a group of teenagers as he spoke. The crowds around the Olympic Stadium were beginning to build as the world around them seemed to anticipate the event. He knew the whole evening was being filmed by just about every new agency on the planet but still couldn't shake the feeling he was being watched. All he knew was the Opening Ceremony had to go to plan. There was no other option.

"Dimitri." Beth snapped as she approached the stadium from the other entrance miles away from where Dimitri was forcing his way through the crowds. "Adam said that this is where we are supposed to be so just get on with it."

"Never thought I'd agree with Beth Bailey." Ros hissed as she listened to her team. Ruth smiled slightly, glad that the Ice Queen was back but knowing something had dented her armour. The majority of the team were on the field, in and around the Olympic Stadium as the BBC coverage was about to go to air. Ruth remained in the Grid with Harry and Malcolm as the others tried to get closer to the scene.

"What did Joey say?" Malcolm asked. His eyes were fixed to the computer screen as CCTV images and parts of footage Tariq had intercepted from the BBC news that evening filled the screen. Ruth narrowed her eyes and tapped a few keys.

"That he was the brains behind this." Harry explained. He rested his hands on Ruth's chair as he read the computer screen over her shoulder. Ros paced the room listening to the team through her ear piece. She desperately wanted to be on the ground with them but knew she was more use hidden away in the bowels of the Olympic Stadium.

"No, he's the money behind this." She hissed as she yanked a door open. For once talking freely while using her earpiece she smiled slightly. There were at least a dozen other people, coaches and security for the various nations doing exactly the ame. She frowned slightly as she heard Malcolm swear. "What is it?"

"Too much interference." Malcolm cursed. "I need to try to get in contact with Calum. See if he or Tariq can get a better reception."

"Do it." Harry instructed. He wasn't used to seeing his oldest friend in a panic. He knew Malcolm was so calm that all the younger members of the team looked up to him. "Ruth, can you get hold of Adam? See what the situation is?"

###############

Zaf jogged towards where Zoe was waiting for him. Dressed in the uniform that all the Games Makers were wearing she smiled and ushered a lost little boy back to his father as Zaf reached her.

"Right little superhero." He smiled as she raised an eyebrow.

"Can I help?"

"Any news?" He fell into step with her. "I seem to have lost my friend. Tall, blonde bloke. Cocky, thinks he's the God's gift."

"I haven't seen Adam." Zoe bit her lip a she tried not to smile.

"Oi." A familiar voice filled their earpieces. "I heard that."

"You were meant to mate." Zaf laughed as he stepped aside to allow a cameraman to pass him. "Headed into the ground now. Where are you?"

"With Lucas and Alec, south entrance. No sign of our friends." Adam walked through the crowds as Lucas caught up with him and Alec.

"Nothing." Lucas shrugged his shoulders. "So far everything appears as it should be."

"Yeah." Alec agreed. "That's when I really get worried."

#################

Erin walked through the crowds, she could see Beth a few feet ahead talking to Dimitri. She couldn't help but smile, knowing Rosie would love to be there. The six year old was obsessed with anything to do with London 2012. The smile soon faded as she spotted a thin, dark haired man a few feet away.

"We have company." She quickened her pace as she tried to follow the man weaving his way in and out of the crowds.

"Where?" Calum's voice came through the comms. She could just picture him sat in the obbo van with Tariq.

"Headed towards the south entrance."

"Adam and Lucas are there." Tariq started as they heard Harry swear through their ear pieces. Calum raised an eyebrow, he knew Harry very rarely got worked up over what happened but since he had arrived that morning he appeared to be on edge. He narrowed his eyes as he stared at the I pad in his lap knowing that someone attacking Ruth and Nick was bound to put him on edge. He had no idea why his friend and her adopted son had been targeted but he didn't like it.

"Good." Harry's voice came through the speakers. "Maintain eyeball. Rangefinder?"

"I'm on the move." Ros shoved her hands in her pockets and tried to work her way through the crowd. Music bounced around the walls making the floor vibrate and early evening sunshine faded to dusk. Harry smiled slightly knowing how Ros would be fighting her way through the crowds.

"Find Erin." Ruth spoke calmly. She had to ignore the headache that was pulsating through her skull as she tried to focus on what was happening a few miles away. Her friends and colleagues were relying on her. Harry rested his hands on her shoulders as she spoke.

"Rangefinder? She's on her own at the North Entrance. I think she has company." Malcolm stuck to the call signs religiously. Ruth narrowed her eyes as she watched the little red icon on the screen that donated Ros.

"Yeah." Ruth narrowed her eyes. "She's going to need back up. I'll get Lucas and Alec to her but you are nearest."

"I'm on it." Ros pushed her way through a few more people and tried to get to the new girl on the team as quickly as possible.

########

Erin pressed herself into a doorway and cursed whatever Diety that controlled the weather as the sky clouded over. The clouds looked ready to explode and she really didn't want to get soaked. Very gingerly she stepped out of the doorway and caught sight of a thin dark headed man trying to join a group of young men laughing and joking. Her blood ran cold as she realised he was the man Ruth had shown them earlier. The rucksack on his back made him stand out but she knew there was a very real chance he would be caught and searched but she knew from experience that would be too late.

"X-ray at four o clock." She hissed into the comms as she quickened her step. "I have eyeball."

"Keep back." Ros ordered. She heard Ruth swear in her earpiece as she headed towards her. "STAY BACK"

"I'll lose him." Erin snapped.

"She's got Schmit in her eye line." Calum barked. "Shit."

"Yeah, that's going to hit the fan." Tariq snapped. "Ros?"

"I'm less than a minute away." Ros snapped, her damaged lungs still slowed her down but everyone knew she was still physically fitter than the majority of women in Section D. "Erin, stay back."

"I can take this." Erin ignored the instructions as Harry barked in her ears. He knew she was an instinctive officer but she had never ignored a direct order. Harry paced the Grid as Malcolm picked up the CCTV footage of her walking directly towards the man that had murdered her fiancé so many years earlier.

"ERIN!" Harry barked. "BACK OFF!"

"In her shoes would you back off?" Ruth asked. "Would you back off if the man who murdered me was a few feet away?" She felt Harry tense behind her as she spoke. Ruth knew his greatest fear was that someone would take her from him, this time forever.

"Ruth." Harry whispered. He knew she was right.

###############

"Hey!" Erin yelled as she saw the thin Russian look her directly in the eye and smile. They were surrounded by people but as the start of the ceremony got closer the throng seemed to peter out. She froze for a moment while their eyes locked. Erin had never hated anyone as much as she hated the man in front of her. A big man with a LONDON 2012 t shirt bumped into her causing her to fall forward into the man who had murdered Rosie's father when the little girl was still in nappies.

"Erin!" Ros yelled as the new girl slumped to the floor. "Paramedic back up, north entrance. NOW!" Ros barked. "Officer down! Repeat Officer down!".

###################

The Grid fell silent as Ros' words rang out through the Grid. Malcolm closed his eyes for a moment. He knew Ros was not the type of woman to panic. Only Ruth seemed to be able to function as she reassured Ros that help was on the way and back up was ordered. Seconds later Adam's voice came through the coms.

"Who is it?"

"Erin." Ruth hated to think of Erin's mother and daughter at home waiting for her. She knew then that Harry had to be the one to tell the older Watts woman that her daughter, her only child was hurt. Or worse. She rested her hand on her stomach as she listened to Adam and Zaf tell her that a small device had been found. Ruth closed her eyes partly in relief that the device had been found. It was then that her blood ran cold.

"Ruth, it's not like anything me or Zaf have seen before." Adam sounded genuinely worried. The sound of drums and music half drowned out his words. It was clear the Opening Ceremony was already underway. "I. Well, I don't think we can diffuse it. Not in time anyway."

######################

A/N More soon. Not sure I like this chapter. Please review.


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer not mine,**

**Shock Delivery?**

Harry ran a hand over his face as he listened to Adam explain what he had found. The bomb sounded familiar but Harry couldn't place it. Malcolm stared at the computer screen and shook his head.

"Adam?"

"Yeah?"

"Your phone has a camera?" Malcolm sighed.

"Yeah."

"Send me a picture. From what you are telling me this is a device invented in the Cold War but modernise by Irish Extremists in the 1970s. Should be easy enough to diffuse." He watched as Ruth smiled slightly. She could picture Adam rolling his eyes.

"Ok." Zaf's voice came through. "That's easy for you to say."

"It is. I open my mouth and the words come out." Malcom remained deadpan.

"Yeah, well." Adam interrupted. "Can we focus on this little grey box."

#####################

"Paramedics on the way to you." Ruth spoke as she listened to Ros on the other end of the comms. It was clear that Erin was more badly injured than they had first thought. She turned to see Harry pull his coat on.

"Harry."

"I'm going down there." He watched as she nodded. Years of experience had told her there was no point in arguing. She glanced at Nick who was stood in the doorway of the kitchenette watching the adults.

"Is Erin ok?" He watched as Ruth looked away for a moment.

"She will be." Malcolm stated. "You know that. She's tough."

"Yeah." Nick nodded as he looked into Malcolm's eyes. Ruth smiled, knowing that Nick automatically believed everything Malcolm said. Harry smiled slightly at Ruth before leaving the Grid.

####################

"Bugger me." Alec dodged a gang of lads heading into the stadium. BBC reporters stood outside interviewing spectators as they entered the stadium. The last thing he wanted was to have his face captured by the television cameras. He glanced across at Zoe who was dodging the same cameras he was. It seemed the more people that arrived the less able they were to disappear.

"Alec." Ruth spoke as she watched him on the CCTV. "Can you get to where Ros and Erin are?"

"Should be ok to. Any sign of the Russian?" He marched through the crowds.

"Not since he was with Erin. I think he must be in the stadium by now. Police and Army have his description so I don't think he will be able to get in the ground." She winced as a shooting pain shot through her abdomen. She rested her head on her abdomen as she spoke.

"Right." Alec nodded before marching towards the last known sighting of Ros and Erin. He paused as he watched the blonde Section Chief cradle the unconscious Erin in her arms. "Shit. Calum? Where's that sodding ambulance?" He tapped his ear as he ran towards the two women. A small crowd had formed around them as he pushed his way through the crowd.

"Let the girl have some room!" He yelled. Ros looked up and rolled her eyes.

"Oh great."

"Yeah." Alec crouched down. "All my first aid training says we shouldn't move her."

"And common sense says get the Hell out of here before she stops breathing altogether." Ros hissed.

"Good point." He scooped Erin up into his arms, relieved when she moaned quietly. "Car is about twenty miles away."

"We're nearer." They smiled as Tariq spoke calmly. "Calum can drive. I'll set up behind the kiosk."

"Right." Erin groaned again as Alec stared at her.

"She isn't obviously wounded. No blood, no obvious breaks." He said as they walked quickly through the crowd. It was then Erin's body began to convulse in his arms. "Ros!"

"She's been poisoned." Ros' blood ran cold as she said the words. A million and one memories assaulted her as she remembered the pain of the needle hitting her arm and the sudden panic at being unable to move or fight in any way. "We need to get to A&E."

"Guessed that." Alec struggled not to drop Erin as Calum's little fiesta swung round the corner at breakneck speed.

##############################

"FRANCE." The announcer bellowed as the music continued to cause the ground to vibrate beneath their feet. Zoe frowned as she walked towards the security checkpoint. A man in Army uniform smiled at her. For a moment she was glad Zaf wasn't around to see her flirting with the army officer. She knew he had seen at least one of the Russian suspects head towards the entrance. She needed to know if they had got into the stadium.

"Enjoying the night?"

"Glad the rain stayed off." She smiled as she realised Captain Steve Brown had worked with Section D in the past. He's been in Red Troop when Tom had been made to go on exercise with them. While Ros seemed to take it in her stride, Tom had always resented the army exercise.

"God, yeah." He smiled as she folded her arms. "Any bother?"

"Nothing much. Low level idiots." Zoe looked around. "Have you seen the men we've been looking for?"

"No. Not here." Louis sighed. "Boss said to keep a look out."

"Yeah." Zoe smiled slightly as the army captain smirked. She desperately wanted to know what had happened to Erin but she knew the only real way to help was to track down Schmidt and Viktor.

###################

"Thanks Malcolm." Adam rested his head against his arms as he fought the nausea. The small device had been primed to set off another much larger device near the centre of the stadium. Zaf rocked back on his heels as he took in the fact they had lived through another impossible situation.

"Adam?"

"Yeah?" Adam sighed.

"I think you need to buy Malcolm an extremely large drink." He watched as Adam smiled.

"Yeah."

"Scotch." Malcolm stated calmly. "And please do not doubt my devices again. Thankyou." He cut the comms as Ruth closed her eyes. "Ruth? What is it?"

"Nothing." She forced out through gritted teeth. "Nothing."

"Are you sure?" He asked. Ruth nodded, unable to speak for a moment as another pain shot through her lower abdomen. He frowned slightly but in the absence of Harry decided best not to argue with the Intel Analyst. He glanced towards the kitchen, relieved that Nick had gone in search of food while they tried to stop the Russians and the man in the cells derailing the most important event to take place in London for over half a century.

####################

"I see him." Dimitri stated calmly from his vantage point. He was merely feet away from the Royal Box and knew that if he let either Viktor or Schmidt get anywhere near them there would be a disaster there was no going back from.

"I have eyeball." Beth repeated. Her heart rate dangerously high as the music changed to Dizzy Rascal. "I hate this music." She moaned as she worked her way towards Schmidt.

"You are not the only one." The pair paused as Harry could be seen walking towards Dimitri. It seemed he had been aware of the threat of Schmidt getting too close tot he Royal Family and was talking to a Royal Protection Officer. He smiled warmly before shaking the man's hand and moving towards Dimitri.

"You? Harry?"

"Thought it was about time." Harry smirked. "Look, there will be time for explanations later. Erin is headed to hospital, we are down on numbers."

"Right." Beth sighed. "Erin?"

"I don't know." Harry gritted his teeth as he said the words. The thought Erin could already be dead filled him with dread. He knew he would never be able to forget the look on Jo's mother's face as long as he lived. Sighing heavily he pushed the thought away and focused on the job in hand. Marching through the crowd he was careful not to let the younger Russian see that he was being followed. Dimitri nodded once before slipping through the chaos towards the skinny dark haired man.

"Hello." He whispered in Schmidt's ear. "You are under arrest for the murder of Matthew Reed." He hissed as Harry stood in front of him.

"What the meaning of this?"

"Oh drop the broken English." Harry smirked. "What I want to know is which part of the 2008 Anti Terrorism Act I leave out when I formally charge you." He stepped forward, aware that Dimitri had the man in his grasp. "I also want to know do I charge you with attempted murder or Erin Watts or do I wait to see if the charge is upgraded?"

"You disgust me." Schmidt spat at Harry. Teh music drowned out the words but Harry was pretty sure what he had heard. Without moving his head he was aware of Beth and Lucas following them, unsure of when they had met up he was infinitely glad to see the officers.

"Dimitri. Get him out of my sight." Harry hissed as Beth held her arms up in defeat.

"Good news Miss Bailey. I need good news."

"No sign."

"Harry, I doubt Viktor ever entered the Stadium." Lucas breathed heavily. For the first time Harry realised his old friend had been more injured by Sasha's knife than he had initially thought. He watched for a moment while Lucas caught his breath.

"Zoe says she had intel that both were in here."

"Needles and haystacks." Lucas held Harry's gaze as Beth nodded.

"That's what we do. Find the needle." He turned and marched back towards the television booths. He had contacts in the media. If he could just get access to their footage he knew he could find the errant Russian. So far the Opening Ceremony had gone well. It was the rest of the night he was worried about.

####################

"Bugger." Ruth screwed her eyes shut. "Bugger." She whispered again. She knew Nick and Malcolm were staring at her but she was determined not to worry them. The only person she wanted anywhere near her was Harry. She gritted her teeth and rested a hand on her abdomen. "Not yet, please not yet." She bit her lip and tried to concentrate on the images on her computer screen. Malcolm shook his head sadly before walking over to her.

"Shall I recall Harry?"

"Why? No Malcolm. I'm fine." She smiled as he raised an eyebrow.

"Ruth, you are a dear, dear friend but I have no wish to deliver your baby on the Grid." He spoke calmly as her face paled.

"I'm not in labour." She held his gaze. "I can't be. It's too early."

"Ruth. I am not a doctor." He squeezed her hand. "If you feel more comfortable going to the med bay then you must do that."

"No. I can't leave one officer on the Grid."

"Ruth. Tariq is on his way in. Dimitri, Adam and Zaf will be here soon and I dare say Alec will put an appearance in."

"I."

"Ruth?"

"That one hurt." She frowned as Malcolm nodded. She screwed her eyes shut, unaware that Malcolm was suppressing a very real panic.

"Nick? Could you go into Harry's office and find Carrie's phone number? I think you may be staying with her tonight." Malcolm began to try to think logically.

"Can't." Ruth opened her eyes. "Nick, I am fine. You are to stay at the safe house. As planned. Catherine and Charlie will be there by now."

"Mum." Nick swallowed. "Are you having the baby?"

"No." Ruth stated more firmly than she felt. "Not yet."

"Go to the hospital Ruth. Nick and I will be fine. I'll have Harry meet you there."

"Shit."

"Yeah." Nick stared at her wide-eyed. "I'll ring Dad." Ruth bit her lip as Nick spoke. Malcolm smiled slightly. Neither wanted to correct Nick or ask him if the slip up was deliberate. Instead Ruth nodded before gingerly getting to her feet just as Zaf walked back in.

"Ah Zaf." Malcolm smiled. "Get Ruth to the hospital."

"The baby? Shit. Ruth! The baby?"

"So it would seem." Ruth silently begged him not to make a fuss.

"Bit early?"

"She has her father's time keeping." Ruth hissed out as another contraction hit.

"Fine. Right. Ok. Um. Ruth?"

"Yeah."

"Please don't let your waters break on my upholstery." He helped her towards the Pods and tried not to think that he was about to have his hand crushed. Nick shook his head as somewhere in the distance a mobile phone rang.

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A/N is Erin ok? Where did Viktor go? Is Harry ok and will Ruth and Squeak be ok? PLease review.


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer not mine.**

**Babies and Bombs?**

Zaf rested his head against the cool wall of the Maternity Unit waiting room as he waited for news on Ruth. He knew Harry and Ros were somewhere in the hospital with Erin but he had no idea where. Sighing heavily he sat down on one of the uncomfortable hospital chairs and flicked through his phone to look at the photographs of Emma and Danny; hardly believe it was only four months since Danny had been born.

"Zaf?" He looked up to see Ros a few feet in front of him. Harry walked alongside her in silence.

"Hi," Zaf got to his feet. "How's Erin?"

"Stable, whatever the Hell that means." Ros snapped. "It seems we can keep the charges at Attempted Murder."

"No." Harry spoke calmly. "We can ask the police to keep them at that. You know the score, Ros. MI 5 we can detain but we can't officially arrest anyone."

"Semantics." Ros rolled her eyes. They still read the same caution as the police but the technicalities were slightly different.

"Anyway, she's in ITU at least for tonight." Harry held Zaf's gaze. "It seems she has been very lucky."

"Thank God." Zaf sighed heavily. Ros smiled slightly, Zaf always seemed to befriend everyone that joined the section and cared about his team. "Who's going to tell her mum and Rosie? She lives with her mother."

"I was." Harry sat down. He desperately wanted to know what had happened to Ruth but was afraid to ask. "Calum is going over there. When I heard."

"Ruth." Zaf nodded. "The midwife and the Doc took her through to the Delivery Suite the minute we got here."

"And?"

"And nothing." Zaf looked away. "I haven't seen anyone since she was taken in there." He nodded towards a door as a matronly woman about Ros' age walked out.

"Harry. About time."

"Eleanor." He smiled in relief. "How is she?"

"Come with me." The midwife stated rather than asked. He frowned as he followed her into the Consultant's Office. It seemed the bubbly, curly-haired woman was as no-nonsense as Ros. He had liked her the minute he had met her, it seemed that the pregnant woman and baby were her primary concern and niceties as far as the rest of the family/friends of the pregnant woman were merely an optional extra.

################

"What have we got?" Adam asked as he walked around an almost full Grid. Alec shrugged his shoulders as Tariq pushed his feet off the edge of the desk.

"Three men in custody." Zoe stated. "Joey Mace is not saying anything else. He's refusing to talk to anyone unless he has a lawyer."

"Fantastic." Adam rolled his eyes.

"Viktor is just as stoic." Beth dropped an arm full of files on Dimitri's desk. The former SBS man groaned. "Apparently he's forgotten he studied at Cambridge and has forgotten he can speak perfect English."

"That's convenient." Malcolm sighed. "Adam. If it is of any use."

"Go on." Adam smiled, glad that the oldest member of the team seemed to be able to have some useful information.

"We were supposed to ensure the Olympic Opening Ceremony went ahead as planned. We did that."

"Yeah." Dimitri got to his feet. "So?"

"What if it was supposed to be easy?"

"I'd hardly call the last three days easy." Alec snapped.

"No." Malcolm agreed. "But there is some interesting chatter coming from GCHQ. Seems to originate out of Chechnya and surprisingly out of New York."

"New York?" Adam closed his eyes. "Ruth has a meeting with Lexi. I think I'd better have a chat too. Tariq? Did we ever find anything on the memory stick? Anything that didn't relate to the Opening Ceremony?"

"Calum was working on it." Tariq looked away, he knew how close Calum and Erin were and he really didn't know how his friend would be able to tell Mrs Watts her daughter was in ITU at the local General Hospital. "I could ring him."

"Text him. If he's still with Erin's mum I don't want them disturbed. What I do know is, there is a very real chance someone has been using the Games to distract us. I want to know who. Lucas?" Adam turned to the dark haired man who had been quiet throughout the exchange.

"Adam."

"How do feel about trying to get some information out of Mace junior? See why he thinks it's a good idea to keep quiet?"

"Yeah." Lucas nodded. "Thought you'd never ask."

#####################

Harry stared at Eleanor as she sat next to him. The Consultant OBGYN had left her to fill Harry in on the details. She told him that Mr Jones would be along later once he had finished treating Ruth.

"How is she?" Harry asked as Eleanor took a deep breath.

"Ruth is in theatre. She has had an emergency C Section."

"What? Ruth can't have any more general anaesthetic. You know what happened last time. You know how we nearly lost her."

"Yes, we have all Ruth's records." Eleanor paused just as the door to the office opened. A man in his 50s, a little older and greyer than Harry walked in.

"Mr Pearce."

"Ruth?"

"The baby was in distress. Ruth had a seizure when she was brought in. The pre eclampsia she had suffered earlier in her pregnancy had become worse. Did she complain of any headaches? Any swelling? That her wedding ring no longer fitted?" Harry shook his head. Mr Jones sighed. From what he had learned of his patient she hardly ever complained about her health. "She had to be sedated and the baby went into what we call fetal distress because of this. The only cure for such a matter is an emergency C Section. The baby's heart rate was dangerously low and she was in a position that made it impossible for her to be born in the usual way." Mr Jones sat at his desk. "We had no option but to take Ruth to theatre. If we hadn't both her and the baby would probably have died."

"Oh my God." Harry felt the blood drain from his face. He couldn't think straight. All he could picture was a world without Ruth, without her and the baby they had wanted for so long.

"As it stands, the baby is in SCBU. That's the special care baby unit." Mr Jones continued. "She's tiny - only 4lb but she's strong. Like her mother."

"The baby survived?" Harry smiled slightly. The fear that gripped his heart seemed to have lessened it's grip.

"As has Ruth." The doctor continued. "She's unwell. Very unwell. As you know, your wife does not do well with general anaesthesia. We've moved her to ITU."

"With Erin." Harry closed his eyes.

"Excuse me?"

"I heard a colleague had been admitted to ITU earlier this evening."

"Oh, then at least Ruth has a friend there. Now while the nurses are settling Ruth in would you like to see your daughter?"

"Grace." Harry stated. "Gracie Jo. That's our little girl's name. Ruth is going to be ok?"

"I." The doctor looked towards Eleanor for a moment. The midwife squeezed Harry's hand.

"This is Ruth we're talking about." Eleanor stated. "She told me once that you worried about her. She didn't think you had reason to. She also told me there was no chance that she was ever going to leave you. She's stronger than we all think."

"I know." Harry smiled slightly as he pictured Ruth rolling her eyes as he fussed. He'd give anything to have her berate him for being overprotective in that moment. "I have to call our children. Catherine and the boys will be worried."

"Ok." Eleanor nodded towards the phone. "Use the office phone and I'll have one of the students show you where SCBU is. Shall I tell your friends you'll speak to them? The blonde and the young man?"

"No. Thank you but I'll talk to Zaf and Ros." Eleanor nodded and let herself out of the room.

#############################

Lucas sat in silence as Adam took the seat next to him. He was worried about Ros, knowing it was too soon for her to be out in the field. He also knew she would never admit it. Adam glanced at him but said nothing. The door opened to allow Stan to bring Joey in.

"You need anything." Stan stated as he narrowed his eyes. "I am just 't other side these doors."

"Thanks Stan." Adam smiled slightly. Stan nodded and left the room. "Now Joey."

"Shit. What the Hell is he doing here?" Joey stepped back as Lucas raised his eyes.

"This is Senior Case Officer Lucas North. We just need to have a chat with you." Adam kept his voice even despite his surprise at Joey's reaction to Lucas' presence.

"I am not talking to him."

"I could be offended by that but strangely I'm not." Lucas growled. "We're not in Russia now Joe. You don't have your friends to get you out of this mess. Tom Quinn and Connie James aren't exactly flavour of the month here."

"But. When? How?"

"That's exactly what we were going to ask." Adam leant forwards. "Sit down. It's time to talk."

#######################

A/N More soon. Please review.


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer not mine.**

**Grace and Favour?**

"What the Hell was that about?" Adam walked through the corridor as he and Lucas headed back to the Grid.

"Five years ago." Lucas paused as he reached the lift. "I was in prison in Russia. I'd been there about eight years when Mace visited me."

"Mace?"

"Yeah. I only met him once. I knew the name from before I went to Russia but being a junior officer never had much to do with him." Lucas explained. "Only he didn't come on his own. Brought Joey with him, only I didn't know who he was either and he wasn't much more than a kid back then. I think he was more scared than I was."

"He came to the prison?"

"I think Mace was looking for Harry's Achilles heel." Lucas paused. "Seeing as he neither had me killed or got me out of there I imagine he found Ruth."

"He did." Adam narrowed his eyes. "Zaf and I. We were just too slow to see what was happening."

"Not your fault." Lucas paused. "I didn't know Ruth then. I didn't know you then. As far as I was aware Tom Quinn was still Section Chief. You and Ros were merely names from 6."

Adam smiled slightly as he remembered the reaction he had got from the team when he had been drafted in from 6 to help with the Tom 'debacle' as Harry had called it. He had ended up staying and brought not only Zaf but Fiona over with him. What he didn't understand was why Mace had bothered going after Lucas when he had enough ammunition against Harry for Ruth to feel she had to fake her own death.

#################

"Hello." Harry stared at the little girl with the pink woolen hat as she laid on her back in the incubator.

"You can pick her up." Eleanor stated calmly. "She wont break and to my knowledge babies that age don't bite."

"But she's."

"She's her mother's daughter, from what I can see." Eleanor opened the incubator and handed the baby girl to him. "Now, she doesn't really need to be in there. It was prepared just in case. Mainly because she is so little and so early. Ruth will be settled up in ITU before much longer." Harry stared at the baby in awe. Grace opened her eyes as Harry took a deep breath.

"You look like your mum." He spoke quietly as Grace stared at him.

"I'll leave you two to it." Eleanor smiled. "I'll pop back when ITU phone down to say you can go up." She opened the door to the SCBU to see Ros stood outside. "And you are?"

"Her Godmother." Ros stated cooly as Eleanor rolled her eyes.

"I shouldn't let you in. But I think he needs someone to keep him sane." Eleanor held the door open. Ros looked from the open door to the midwife and paused.

"You delivered my youngest."

"Um, thought I knew you. Language a bit choice I dare say."

"I didn't swear with either of my kids." Ros glared.

"Did I say you did? Now, are you going in?"

"Yes." Ros stepped past her and walked towards Harry who was cradling his baby daughter. "Any news on Ruth?"

"No." Harry closed his eyes.

"Erin is being moved to the High Care ward. Her mum thinks she was caught in a crush outside the Stadium. It was the best cover story Calum could come up with at the time." Ros smiled slightly as she watched Harry pace the room with the baby in his arms.

"Mrs Watts knows what her daughter does for a living."

"I know." Ros leant against the wall. "He's known her for years so I suppose he thought it better to lie than tell her a Russian terrorist had poisoned her. Especially as it was the same one that killed her son-in-law."

"Fair enough." Harry paused as Grace began to stir.

"It suits you, Harry." Ros smiled as he stared at the baby.

"What?"

"Being a father." Ros stepped out of the room as Eleanor walked back in.

"Ruth's awake."

#####################################################

"Why New York? Why Cheznya?" Malcolm stared at the computer screen as Adam and Lucas walked back onto the Grid. He pushed his chair away from the desk as Zoe talked on the phone.

"Zaf's on the way back." She stated as Adam nodded.

"Any news?" Tariq asked.

"Yes." Zoe smiled. "One healthy baby girl. Gracie Jo Pearce was born two hours ago, 4lb 6oz and is doing well."

"And?" Tariq watched as the others seemed visibly relieved by the news. Beth pushed a strand of blonde hair behind her ear as she watched Zoe try to work out what to say next.

"Damn and Blast!" Malcolm pushed his chair further away and got up. Dimitri raised an eyebrow. "Well, I can make no sense of it! We need Ruth here."

"How is Ruth?" Dimitri turned to Zoe. "Any news on Erin?"

"Erin is improving."

"Thank God." Alec walked across the room to Malcolm's desk.

"Her Mum and Calum are with her." Zoe was deliberately avoiding talking about Ruth. She knew what her old friend meant to the team.

"Zoe?" Beth stared at her. "What happened to Ruth? People normally say Mum and Baby doing well. You didn't say that."

"Well." Zoe looked away.

"Zo." Adam paused as he thought of his friends and how badly Harry had been affected by Ruth being in a coma when she had gone through an ectopic pregnancy.

"She's in ITU. That's all Zaf could say. She had a rough labour and was in ITU when Harry got there." The Grid fell silent as the Pods whooshed open to allow Zaf to walk in with Ros at his side. Adam smiled slightly, relieved that he was no longer in charge.

###################

"Ruth." Harry walked into the side room of the ITU to see Ruth sleeping peacefully. The ventilator she had been attached to moments earlier was pushed to the wall but her face was covered with an oxygen mask. A drip ran into her right arm and various monitors and wires linked her to machines monitoring pulse, blood pressure and oxygen levels in Ruth's blood. He sat next to her and took her hand in his. "Wake up. Your daughter needs you."

"She needs you too. I was such a daddy's girl when I was little. I like the name. Thanks for that, good to know there'll always be a Jo on the Grid." Harry frowned as he heard the familiar voice and closed his eyes.

"I am going insane."

"No. You're sleeping. You've been awake over 36 hours. You are not going mad. Sir." Jo smiled cheerily.

"Ruth."

"Is sleeping. She's stronger than you give her credit for. Only, the fit. It was a big one."

"The midwife said." Harry daren't look to his left, knowing he would never be able to see Jo.

"I don't think you realise how long Ruth's brain was without oxygen. She'll be ok I think but be patient. Ruth is."

"Not going to die." Harry stated firmly.

"We all do. I did."

"No, Joanna. Not Ruth. Not yet, not when she hasn't met Gracie. Not when she hasn't had a chance to be her mother. Not when Nick needs her." Harry felt Jo rest her hand on his.

"Ruth is my best friend. She always was and it's only a week or so to Adam and Carrie getting married. I think you'll both be there to see them tie the knot." Harry smiled as he listened to her.

"Oh Joanna, why didn't you wear a vest? Why on Earth didn't you take your gun with you?"

"Follow protocol?" Jo raised an eyebrow. "It's better this way. I'm happy and at peace. Just another part of Section D's history. And as it goes destined to keep an eye on those that remember me and quite a few who don't."

"Jo."

"Wake up." Harry sighed heavily as he felt his hair ruffle slightly. A baby's cry filled the room. Jo vanished as he blinked.

"Ruth." He kissed her forehead. "I. You. The baby." Ruth smiled as she rested her hand on her now slightly flatter abdomen. "She's beautiful. She looks like you." Ruth held his gaze as he realised she had barely spoken. Her eyes were fixed on his as he stepped away and picked the little girl out of her basenet. "Gracie Jo Pearce, five weeks early and 4lb 6 oz. meet your Mum."

"Hi." Ruth whispered as she stared at the little girl. Grace opened her eyes as Ruth spoke.

"She knows you."

"Hi." Tears streamed down Ruth's cheek as she swallowed hard. Harry slipped onto the bed next to her, careful not to disturb any wires. One arm around Ruth's shoulders he let her head against his chest. His free arm supporting his daughter as Ruth held her. "She's perfect." Ruth stared at her.

"She is."

"I." Ruth closed her eyes as the tears fell. "I'm so sorry."

"Ssh." Harry kissed her hair, worried that Jo's warning was happening. That Ruth had changed. He had vaguely heard the doctor mention Hypoxic Brain Injury but he refused to comprehend what it would mean for Ruth or Gracie.

"Happy tears. I. Harry." She bit her lip. "I just hope she doesn't babble like I do."

"I love your babbling." He smiled as she raised an eyebrow.

"No one else does." She yawned slightly and let Harry take Gracie out of her arms.

"I do." He cuddled their daughter. "And you, Gracie will be amazing. If you have half the intellect and beauty your mum has now, then you are going to be amazing."

"Harry." Ruth watched as he talked to their daughter.

"You will. And I know I'm a bit old and set in my ways. I know your mum and I work stupid hours and there is a ver good chance that I wont be around when you get married. I'm a bit older than mum you see." The baby held his gaze as he spoke softly. "But you'll have Catherine and your brothers. And your nephew. I can't see Charlie not being amazed by you. If he's anything like me and your uncles you will never have a boyfriend so you can get that notion out of your head before we go on. But you will see and do amazing things. And I am so proud of you. I just hope I don't mess things up this time round. That's another story. Just so you know, your mum and me are nothing like Jane and I. Catherine will fill you in on that one."

"I hope she doesn't." Ruth rested her head back on her pillow as she watched her husband walk around the room with Gracie in his arms.

"But I'll be a better dad. I'll make you proud of me."

"You already do." Ruth sighed as her eyes fell closed. Harry sniffed slightly, relieved that Ruth was back with them and that his daughter was out of SCBU. It seemed nothing and no one could upset him now but Jo's warning still gnawed at the back of his mind.

###################

A/N Please reivew. More soon. Sorry, I just had to get Section D's very own Guardian Angel back for a cameo :D


	16. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer not mine.**

**Gold?**

Harry smiled slightly as Gracie closed her eyes and fell into a peaceful sleep, from experience he knew it wouldn't be long before she was screaming for a feed or a clean nappy. He placed her back in the crib at the end of Ruth's bed as she stirred slightly.

"You should rest."

"The Opening Ceremony." Ruth whispered as he kissed her forehead.

"Ruth."

"Is everyone ok? Erin?" Ruth's eyes filled with tears as she spoke. Memories of Jo's death and Danny's years before filled her mind.

"She's alive. She's in the ward next door. I briefly saw her mother when I arrived but I haven't spoken to her. Ros tells me Calum lied to spare Mrs Watts' feelings. She clearly knows what Erin does for a living but it seemed kinder to say she was caught in a crush and not poisoned by the man who killed Rosie's father."

"Oh God." Ruth held his gaze. "Poor Rosie. If anything, I mean."

"Erin will be ok." Harry held her hand for a moment. "Look I need to call the Grid. Try to get hold of Graham and Catherine."

"Ok." Ruth tried and failed to stifle a yawn. "Please ask if anyone else is hurt. I need to know."

"Ok." Harry kissed her hand before returning to her side. "Just rest. Please, try to switch that brain off for a few minutes and think of you, me and our kids. All four of them and a grandson that is going to be full of questions when he meets his new auntie."

"Harry?"

"What?" Harry turned back to her as she held his gaze.

"You said our kids. Four of them."

"Well." He shrugged his shoulders. "I know you aren't Catherine and Graham's mum but they love you as much as I do and Nick isn't mine but, well."

"You think of him as if he was." Ruth watched as Harry nodded slightly.

"If anyone should ask." Harry paused. "I have two daughters and two sons." Ruth blinked back a tear as Harry rested his hand on the door handle.

"Harry?"

"Rest woman." Harry growled but the sparkle in his eye couldn't be missed.

"I love you." Ruth bit her lip as Harry smiled back at her. The midwife arriving to check Ruth over broke the moment so Harry slipped out in to the corridor.

#######################################

"So, you spooked our friendly neighbourhood Mace then?" Ros folded her arms across her chest. Beth raised an eyebrow as Lucas looked at the floor.

"He's hiding something."

"Lucas." Ros held his gaze. She knew her husband had been worried about her but in that moment in time she was more worried about him. The general hustle and bustle of the Grid mid operation continued around them. Somewhere in the background Alec slammed the phone down and swore while Dimitri pulled on his combat jacket.

"He was in Russia." Lucas started. "About two years before Kachimov sent me home."

"Oh shit." Ros mumbled.

"Yeah." Lucas agreed. "It's never going to stop." He whispered. "Is it?"

"What?" Ros was relived Dimitri called Beth over to where he was stood. She held Lucas' gaze for a moment longer. "What is it you aren't telling me?"

"Mace and his little nephew interrogated me. I think having the tables turned threw him off a bit. He had to have believed I was dead or still rotting away in a Russian Gulag. I had to be the last man he thought he would see. Only Harry and Adam have spoken to him since his arrest."

"Right." Ros turned slightly as Tariq looked over Malcolm's shoulder and pointed at something on the screen. "Looks like the Geek Squad have worked something out." Lucas smiled slightly, he knew the conversation would have to wait for another time.

###################

"Matt." Erin whispered as a single tear escaped her eye. Calum squeezed her hand again and stared at his sister-in-law.

"Sorry, only me." He whispered. "Matt's not here."

"Mmatthew?" Her eyes opened wide in confusion as she realised she was in hospital. "I."

"Hey, it's ok." Calum tried to calm her. "Your mum was here but she had to go and pick Rosie up. You're ok. Dimitri caught the asshole that did this. You're ok."

"Cal?" She turned to see her brother-in-law nad closest friend on the verge of tears. "I called for Matty didn't I?"

"Yeah, sorry you got his nerdy brother." Calum smiled. Erin took a deep breath in and returned the smile even though every cell burned. "Doctor says the saline drip they put you on when they got you in here helped flush your system out a bit. They've given you the antidote to just about everything they have."

"I feel like I've got the world's worst hangover." She groaned.

"What?" Calum laughed. "Worse than my 21st?"

"No. On second thoughts not that bad." She smiled as her eyelids grew heavy. She glanced over Calum's shoulder to see a petite blonde through the glass doors of the ITU.

"I think someone likes Matthew's nerdy little brother." She smiled at Calum's confusion. "Cath Pearce."

"Oh." He blushed furiously before turning to see his girlfriend talking to her father. "Oh God. Ruth."

"What about her?" Erin swallowed hard. She had a feeling the Pearce family weren't at the hospital just to visit her.

"Saw Zaf earlier, she went into premature labour on the Grid."

"Bloody Hell." Erin was suddenly more alert. Harry hugged Catherine as Calum and Erin watched. "You and Catherine?"

"It could be serious." He sighed.

"Ruth?"

"What? No." Calum blushed a shade of red Erin hadn't seen before. "Me and Catherine. I was thinking, I think she's the one."

"Then I suggest you do something about it." Erin sighed as her eyes fell closed. Calum nodded seriously before standing and kissing Erin's forehead.

"Thanks. I think I'm going to have to." He nodded towards the nurse before leaving the ITU to find Catherine.

##################

"Tariq. Malcolm. Please." Ros started as Zaf threw his parka jacket towards his desk. "In words of one syllable."

"Oliver Mace died a very wealthy man." Malcolm stated. They all knew he had been the financial backer to some of the Nightingale schemes few years earlier. "When he died he had no spouse and no children that we know of."

"We know." Zoe snapped. Zaf shot her a look. He knew his fiancé was on edge but they all were. The last thing he wanted was for Zoe to pick a fight with Ros while they were trying to work out what was being planned. They were still trying to work out where and when the next attack was likely to be. The extra tension wasn't worth it as far as he could see.

"Yeah." Tariq nodded. "So what do I always say?"

"Follow the money." Beth smiled at her young friend. "And where did it lead?"

"To Joseph and Jessica Mace. Well Jessica is in South Africa with her husband. Uncle Olly didn't approve so she was out of the Will but that only left Joey to inherit the lot."

"How much?" Adam asked as he checked his mobile. Carrie had text him a picture of Issy sleeping peacefully next to her brother. He couldn't help but smile. In less than a week he would be married again. While part of him couldn't wait another part felt like he was letting Fiona down.

"Adam?" Ros snapped. "If you ask a question it is customary to wait for an answer."

"Sorry Malcolm." He tucked his phone away. "How much money are we talking?"

"Nightingale took the bulk of it." Tariq explained "But Joey must have inherited the best part of two to three million pounds in UK sterling."

"Bloody Hell." Alec shook his head in disbelief.

"I know." Zaf nodded seriously. "All that money and he drives a Renault Clio."

"Zaf." Ros narrowed her eyes as Lucas laughed.

"So what now?" Lucas turned to the rest of the room. "We know he is the money behind the op. The Russians were merely mercenaries and they have sold him out. What do we do now? We have a potential threat against the Games but the Opening Ceremony went ahead as planned. "

"Well the Russians got their hardware from Chezyna but Ruth met with Lexi before the Games started,"

"Yeah." Adam nodded. "Now I want to see what she has to say."

#################

A/N Can Lexi shred some light on what's going on? Will Calum propose to Catherine? Will Erin and Ruth be ok? Just a filler chapter. Next time Adam has to face a woman he never thought he would see again and Ros faces her demons just as 'SuperSaturday' gets underway. Please review.


	17. Chapter 17

**Disclaimer not mine**

**Truth will out.**

Adam watched the rolling waters of the Thames as he waited for Lexie to arrive. Part of him knew it was irrational to blame her for everything that was happening but he couldn't help but think she should have told Ruth more. Then maybe Erin at least wouldn't be in HDU at the local hospital.

"Adam Carter." A distinctly New York accent caught his attention.

"Lex."

"How are you?"

"Can we cut the small talk?" Adam turned to see the considerably shorter woman smirk.

"Yeah, whatever floats your boat, Honey. I thought they would have at least sent Harry or Ros to talk to me this time. I had the analyst once. I thought the bosses would be the next ones to try their luck." She smirked as Adam stared at her deadpan.

"Sorry to disappoint." Adam smiled, knowing that Lexi was just trying to wind him up. "You got me."

"Oh I'd have you any day of the week." The predatory look in her eye didn't bother him in the slightest. Instead he offered her a slight smile and turned away.

"What didn't you tell us? When you spoke to Ruth what didn't you tell us?" Adam kept walking forcing the petite brunette to keep up with him.

"What happened to her? God tell me she didn't run into that scumbag in her condition?" She was almost out of breath trying to keep up with Adam. He stopped abruptly and turned to face her.

"Ruth is fine." Adam lied. "It's Erin in critical condition. You know the spook who was murdered by Julian Schmidt? His fiancé."

"Oh shit. They've got a kid." Lexi closed her eyes. "I swear I told your girl all I could at the time. The CIA."

"Sod the CIA!" Adam hissed. "We stopped the bomb at the Opening Ceremony. Despite the monumental cock up with security."

"Excuse me?"

"Don't tell me you haven't watched the news while you have been living in London."

"Oh that security cock up." Lexi smirked. "Didn't look good. Your boss did right to insist on Army back up."

"Yes, he did." Adam narrowed his eyes. "Now, what do you know about New York, Mace and Chechnya?"

#####################

Zoe bit her bottom lip as she stared at the computer screen. Tariq had spent hours trying to get around the encryption on the memory stick Ruth had got from the Americans. It had been less than a week but it felt like months since he had first tried and failed to get any information off the small device. He glanced across at Zoe as she tried to make sense of what he had found.

"Tariq?"

"Yeah?"

"Who do we know that speaks Chechnyan?" Zoe watched as his eyes widened.

"Oh shit." Tariq swore as Malcolm raised an eyebrow. It was uncharactieristic of Tariq to swear and Malcolm knew the younger man was running on a combination of adrenaline and Redbull.

"I know someone." He interupted. "An asset of mine from that region. Look, the Russians and the people of Chechnya do not have a very good history to say the least. About twenty years ago Harry, Juliet and myself turned a Chechnyan officer. He's currently living in Epping Forest. I'll call him."

"You didn't work for MI 5 all those years ago." Zoe stood up and picked up her denim jacket.

"Not officially, no." Malcolm smiled slightly as Zoe shook her head. It didn't matter how long she knew Maloclm he always managed to surprise her.

##############

Ros closed the door of the interview behind her and closed her eyes for a moment as she leant against the door. Lucas was already sat at the desk while Joey Mace sat staring at the wooden table that separated him from Lucas.

"Joey." Ros started. "Just so you are aware, my patience is waring very thin."

"So?"

"I'd listen to her Joey." Lucas stated calmly.

"Why? Why should I?" Joey smirked. "I remember you."

"I guessed that." Lucas spoke quietly. "Last time we talked I guessed you had some recollection of me. I had never forgotten you."

"Joseph." Ros stepped towards the desk and placed both hands on it. She stared Joey in the eye as seh stedied herself.

"Where is the next target? The Opening Ceremony went without a hitch. Millions watched James Bond and the Queen skydive into the stadium while Dizzy Rascal announced people think he's bonkers. I'm tempted to agree with them but there you go." She held his gaze. Joey couldn't help but keep his gaze fixed on her. Lucas remained silent in the chair behind Ros.

"I."

"Where's the money coming from? It can't all be from Uncle Olly." Ros glared. "What's the American connection?"

"I plead the fifth."

"You are in the UK. At least get the terminology right. Oh and back in Moscow, did Lucas get the luxury of pleading the fifth amendment? Think about what powers of persuation you had then and hope to God almighty I don't use the same." Ros kept her eyes on his as Lucas got to his feet.

"Ros."

The door to the interview room burst open as Beth walked in. Lucas nodded to her as she walked in.

"For the record." He spoke calmly, aware that the cassette recorder in the corner of the room was recording the entire conversation. "Junior Case Officer Elizabeth Bailey has entered the room. Interview suspended at 18:16." He reached over and turned the tape off.

"What?" Ros stepped back as it became obvious Joey was unnerved by Ros.

"Sorry, but you have to see this." She stepped back into the corridor, giving Lucas and Ros no choice but to follow her.

"What is it?" Ros slammed the door to the interview room shut and nodded to Stan to keep guard.

"The older Russian guy,"

"Viktor." Lucas nodded.

"He appears in several minutes of video footage." Beth stated. "Malcolm has been watching them. He can be seen talking to a thin, dark haired woman in a mink coloured coat. You have to see the video."

"I thought he was gettign in touch with Natalia." Ros marched towards the lift as Lucas and Beth fell into step behind her.

"Dimitri and Zoe have gone to bring her in." Beth explained. "Harry is on his way back in."

#############################

"I can't believe this." Alec ran a hand through his hair as he watched the video footage infront of him. The CCTV camera was poor quality but clear enoguh to show a thick set man in his fifties talking with a younger woman. The woman was slim with dark hair but in the firtst few minutes it was difficult to make out who she was. Malcolm sighed heavily.

"I blame myself."

"Don't be daft." Tariq smiled at his mentor. "No way any of us could have known."

"New York and Chechnya. It wasn't the politics."

"In cases such as this political ideas are far from one's mind." All three men turned to see Harry and Calum walk into the Grid. Calum looked as if he was going to burst from shear anger. He walked up tot he computer screen.

"What?"

"This CCTV footage was taken the day Ruth met with Lexi. How is Ruth? The baby?"

"Beautiful." Harry stated as a matter of a fact. "Catherine is with them."

"Erin?"

"Ok." Calum answered. "Talk to me. What is this to do with anything.?"

"The man in the video." Beth stated now the rest of the team were on the Grid. Zaf was already pulling on his jacket as Ros swore. "Is."

"We have to get to Adam." Ros snapped. "Calum, try his mobile."

"Will do." Calum nodded as he saw why Ros was suddenly so worried. Lucas closed his eyes and followed his wife and friend out of the Pods.

"The man in that clip is Viktor but the woman." Harry frowned. "Are we sure?"

"Yes, Harry." Malcolm nodded. "That's Lexi."

######################

A/N Nearly at the end. Hope this makes sense, I was trying to add a sense of urgency but don't know if it worked.


	18. Chapter 18

**Disclaimer not mine.**

**Surprise and Secrets**

"Adam, answer the damn phone." Calum hissed into the answer phone as he heard Adam's familiar voice mail once more.

_"Hello, sorry but as you've probably guessed I'm unable to take your call. Thanks for calling, leave a message and your number and I'll call you back. Thanks." _Calum took a deep breath and repeated his message that Adam should call the Grid as soon as possible. He shrugged his shoulders as Malcolm pulled up the CCTV for the bridge where Adam had agreed to meet Lexi.

"There's Adam about twenty minutes ago." Malcolm stated as he watched the footage.

"Ok." Ros nodded. The familiar twist of fear in the pit of her stomach, She knew everyone thought Lexi was on their side but something about the leggy brunette had always bothered her but without evidence all she could put it down to was professional jealousy. "We know Adam was alive about half an hour ago. Question is where is he now?"

"Do we have any way of tracking Lexi?" Zoe asked, her eyes on Zaf as he headed out of the Pods.

"I'll hack her mobile." Tariq stated calmly. "Give me two minutes."

"We may not have two minutes" Ros spoke calmly as Lucas closed his eyes for a moment. Harry folded his arms and stared at the screen. Memories of believing his friend had been blown up by a car bomb on Rememberance Sunday flooded his mind as he watched the grainy image of Adam walk ahead of the woman they had thought they could trust.

"Not again." He shook his head sadly. "Don't make me have to tell Wes that again."

####################

Ruth sat on the edge of her hospital bed staring at the small baby girl in the crib. Gracie slept peacefully as the tears rolled down her cheeks as she watched her daughter. Memories of another baby girl in another incubator flooded her mind. She closed her eyes and let the tears fall, knowing her auntie Jess would have rolled her eyes and told her to enjoy now while it lasted.

"Ruth?"

"Oh. Hi." She smiled as she sniffed and wiped her eye with one hand. "Baby blues. Come in, where's Charlie?"

"Nursery." Catherine smiled. "I promised him we'd come after nursery. He's made you a picture." Catherine smiled. "She's beautiful. I'm your big sister. I'm the one you listen to, not our stupid brothers." She smiled as the baby met her gaze. "We'll get on just fine."

"Catherine."

"Dad said it was ok to pop in." Catherine sat next to Ruth. "Oh. Oh no don't cry. I was like this with Charlie. Remember? All hormones and tears?"

Ruth nodded as she looked away. She didn't want Catherine to see her like that, a crying blubbing wreck. It was bad enough she had spent half an hour listening to her consult telling her how lucky she was to have a healthy child considering she was five weeks early and considering her age and condition. She still hadn't told Harry the full story and knew that if she had her way she probably never would.

"I remember. He cried once and you thought it was because he didn't like you." Ruth smiled as Catherine rolled her eyes.

"And I was convinced you and Dad were only trying to spare my feelings." Catherine smiled. "She is beautiful and you are already a mum in every other way to me and the boys. I don't think my mother would have sat and held my hair back while I was vomiting. I don't think she'd have spent all night up with me when my body was going cold turkey from the shit I pumped into myself or stopped Dad from trying to find and kill Charlie's father. Or persuade him that Calum is good enough for me."

"Catherine." Ruth sniffed. "You are supposed to be stopping me from crying."

"Sorry." Catherine smiled at her. "It'll be ok. You, Squeak and Dad will be fine."

"She is never going to lose that nickname, is she?"

"No." Catherine half laughed. "Why did Dad start calling her that?"

"I. Er. Well."

"I don't think I want to know." Catherine wrinkled her nose as Ruth blushed a shade of red only she was capable of.

###########################

Zaf walekd along the street Malcolm had found Adam on minutes earlier. The bridge was always busy but just when Zaf wanted it to be fairly accessable it was busier than ever. He sighed as a woman in high heels almost barreled into him.

"Excuse me." Zaf muttered as the woman huffed and walked away.

"Anything?" Beth asked as she looked around. She couldn't fight the sinking feeling in her stomach as the heavens opened and rain began bouncing off the tarmac.

"No." Zaf hissed. He sighed heavily, knowing Adam and Ros were the only ones who never really gave up hope that he would come home after the Redbacks had found him. He had no intention of leaving Adam to deal with the American now.

"Found her." Tariq resited the urge to puch the air. Harry nodded and smiled slightly.

"Good work. Give Zaf the details. Tell him to get Lexi back here as soon as. I think it's time Ros and I paid a visit to Grosvenor Square. Ros?"

"Wouldn't miss it for the world." Ros smiled as she tugged her jacket closer to her.

"Glad to hear it." Harry turned to the remaining officers. "Right, we still have a viable threat. Find out why these jokers decided to call themselves Brothers of Peace. Tariq. Find out what finances they have. Dimitri, Lucas I want you to focus on getting whatever information we can from them. Alec any old contacts in the FSB I want to know about. Malcolm your friend should be here soon?"

"Nikoli will be here in the next ten minutes."

"You believe he is still reliable?" Ros turned to face Malcolm.

"ros, Nikoli is a good man. He was tortured by what happened to his country, physically and mentally. He has no allegiance to Russia, Chechenya or America and I think he will be trustworthy considering he married a Scottish woman and settled here over a decade ago."

"How is Ayda?"

"I'll ask him." Malcolm smiled as Ros closed her eyes for a moment. It seemed Malcolm and Harry had more secrets than she would ever know.

#######################

Ruth smiled as Gracie slept. The baby had been changed and fed and there was nothing for Ruth to do but rest until the baby woke or the doctors arrived. She knew Harry wouldn't be back for a few hours so she slipped the laptop Catherine had brought in for her out and began typing.

"Oh God. Oh my Lord." Ruth closed her eyes and swore, relieved that Grace was too young to understand "How could you? Oh Lexi? How could you?"

##############

A/N More soon. Please review.


	19. Chapter 19

**Disclaimer Spooks isn't mine**

**Mistaken Identity**.

Adam stared at the dark haired woman as she smiled flirtatious. The drizzle that had engulfed London had turned into a downpour worthy of any winter storm as Lexi ushered him towards the café at the end of the road. He narrowed his eyes as he realised Ruth had been right not to trust the pretty American woman. For a moment he wondered why the usual CIA liaison officer wasn't around.

"Lexi." Adam warned. The phone in his pocket ignored once more as it vibrated once more.

"Trust me, Adam." She smiled. "We are all on the same side, after all."

"Are we?" He glanced through the window of the café and couldn't fight the trepidation building in his stomach. He had no idea why but knew Zaf would refer to it as his 'spook sense'. A feeling that whatever you were looking at wasn't quite what it seemed.

"Oh Adam." Lexi rested a hand on Adam's armed and smiled. In that moment Adam knew there was a fair chance he had just found the missing link between the Russian and Americans. He also knew there was a strong chance the others would never get to find out.

################

Ruth stared at the computer screen in horror while Gracie slept on peacefully. The images of a slim, tall woman staring lovingly at Joey Mace filled the screen. She had no idea what was going on but it certainly seemed that the woman knew the man Harry and Ros had been questioning.

"Oh Gracie." She whispered as her daughter stirred slightly. "There is no way you are going to be a spook when you grow up. Just so you know, you'll never be in this position." Gracie opened her eyes for a moment before sucking her dummy and closing them again. "Just so you know." Ruth smiled at her before tapping a few keys. She had to talk to Harry but with him stuck in Whitehall Calum would have to do.

######################

"This is ridiculous." Ros stormed ahead of Lucas and Zaf as they headed towards the last known location for Adam. His car was abandoned in the underground car park where Tariq had traced it to with the CCTV.

"Ros." Zaf ran a hand through his floppy dark hair and looked around. "I just don't get it."

"What?" Lucas rested his hands on the stone wall of the bridge while the Thames swirled beneath them. He stared at the turbulent water and tried to make sense of everything while catching his breath.

"Adam doesn't turn his phone off." Zaf stated. "Not when Carrie might need him or one of the kids. He just doesn't do it."

"I know." Ros narrowed her eyes slightly. "I know."

"So?"

"I can't shake the feeling all that crap that happened with the Olympic Ceremony was just a distraction." Lucas nodded as she spoke quietly. They all knew stopping the Viktor and his friends had been the easy part. The fact Erin and Ruth were still in hospital just tarnished what was otherwise a successful operation. Ros stuck her hand in her pocket as her mobile rang.

"Ok Calum." Ros closed her eyes, aware that both men were now staring at her. "Get hold of Harry. Tell him what Ruth told you. Get Malcolm to go over every piece of CCTV footage and ask Tariq to have a look at their personnel files. We need to know when the switch was made." She hung up the phone as Lucas walked towards her.

"What is it?" He knew something had happened. Ros was barely controlling her temper, although to the passers by she and Lucas looked like any other couple.

"Ruth has been doing some digging."

"And what part of maternity leave does she not understand?" Zaf smirked. "She's as bad as you."

"Neither of my pregnancies put me in ITU." Ros snapped as Lucas looked away. "Anyway Adam is in trouble."

"We guessed that but." Lucas watched as Ros' eyes clouded over. "Ros?"

"Lexi Morgan died." Ros watched as both men stared at her in shock.

"Shit." Zaf watched as Lucas shook his head. It seemed that too many people had got int he way of Viktor and Julian Schmidt. "How?"

"Don't know." Ros admitted. "Calum was hazy on details. All he said was Ruth found her death certificate. She died four years ago."

"So who is the woman Ruth met? That Adam is with now?"

"That." Ros narrowed her eyes. "Is what I want to know."

######################

Ruth smiled slightly as she waited for Harry to answer the phone. Grace was cradled in one arm while the phone was cradled between her shoulder and ear. He answered on the second ring.

"Ruth?" He walked towards the car as he spoke. "Is everything ok? Are you alright? Squeak?"

"She's beautiful." Ruth smiled at their daughter.

"Obviously."

"Harry."

"Are you alright? I mean what did the doctor say?"

"She's gained a quarter of a pound. It isn't much but considering. She also asked if we were certain of our dates as she is doing so well."

"No. It was Exeter." Harry knew Ruth would be blushing at the memory. "She's just brilliant. Like you."

"Harry."

"Sorry." He smiled as he unlocked the car.

"Adam is missing."

"What?" He felt his heart skip a beat. "How do you know?"

"Doesn't matter but I do. And I think you better get over here."

"Ruth?"

"If it wasn't for the fact I'm in here after having our daughter I would be back on the Grid by now." She knew he was rolling his eyes as he spoke. "Has anyone told Wes? Carrie?"

"Not yet." Harry answered honestly. "Adam has a reputation for going after targets alone, especially when he thinks something is very dangerous. Remember the explosion you saw on the news a few years ago?"

"I should have been here." Ruth closed her eyes, she knew Adam had faked his death but seeing the explosion on Sky News while she was in Cyprus was something that would always haunt her. Adam, like Zaf were the brothers she had never had.

"What do you know?"

"Lexi was supposed to meet Adam."

"Yes."

"She did."

"We think so."

"And she also met Viktor about two hours before he was brought into custody."

"Ruth."

"Listen to me. I don't want to say too much over the phone but the woman we think Lexi is." Ruth paused. "The woman who says she is Lexi is not actually who she is."

"Ruth." Harry couldn't help but smile as she babbled. He could just picture her walking into his office holding her hands together as she babbled before delivering some amazing piece of information. He was already driving towards the hospital.

"Ok, ok." Ruth paced as the baby finally fell asleep.

"Slow down." He smiled, "Take a deep breath. What is it?"

"Lexi died four years ago." Ruth bit her lip as she heard Harry swear. "It was a car accident in Texas. A drunk driver ploughed into her sedan. She died at the scene."

"Is there any way her death was faked.?" Harry asked as he parked the car. He knew Nick and Graham were due to visit Ruth and their baby sister any time now and didn't want them to see them talking about work while they were in hospital. Work had already blighted their childhoods he was determined the same wouldn't happen to Grace.

"No." Ruth sighed. "I don't see how."

"Right." Harry locked the car and headed towards the entrance to the Maternity Unit. "And how exactly did you get access to a computer?"

"Ah." Ruth could sense him smiling as she hung up the call. She closed her eyes and sent up a silent prayer that Adam was safe.

###################

Erin opened her eyes as the beeps from the machines surrounding her began to creep through her subconscious. She knew that being moved from ITU to HDU was a good move. SHe felt stronger, able to think more clearly but still had no idea what was going on. Gingerly she unclipped a couple of leads before reaching over and turning the noisy monitor off. She knew Calum had told her Ruth and the baby were nearby and part of her knew she had to see her friend. She had no idea why but suddenly gettting to the single room at the far end of the corridor was more important than the drip in her arm or the other tubes and wires she was suddenly attached to.

"And where are you going?" Erin cursed as she heard the familiar voice behind her.

"Catherine, please."

"Calum asked me to pop in and check on you. Good job he did." Catherine smiled. "Graham has gone to pick Nick up before meeting Dad here."

"RIght."

"Well?"

"I was going to see Ruth. Only the nurses are better at guarding than Stan could ever hope to be." Erin glanced towards the abandoned nurses' station.

"Ok, ok. BUt if Dad kicks off." Catherine watched as Erin rolled her eyes. "Come on then."

##############################

Harry half ran to the room where Ruth and his daughter were being cared for. Ruth looked up and smiled at his as he entered the room. Gracie was back in her crib, settled and well fed for the moment. He crossed the room to her, the pallor and way she shifted uncomfortably on the bed worried him but he knew there was no time to ask as she turned the computer to face him.

"I see." He narrowed his eyes as he watched the screen change to show Lexi's death certificate.

"Harry."

"Have you?"

"I spoke to Calum. He's getting a message to Lucas and Ros. Apparently they were headed towards the last location for Adam. I can't really do much snooping around in here but I managed to find this." She tapped a few more keys before the image changed to show a pretty dark haired woman on the screen. It was clearly an ID photo but the rest of the image was unclear.

"Shit." All eyes turned to the women in the doorway.

"Sorry, she wanted to see Ruth." Catherine bit her bottom lip as she realised her father was already there. Harry nodded.

"What is it? Erin?" Ruth asked as the new girl stepped further into the room. The long dark hair that was always kept tied up fell across her face. For a moment Harry thought he could see who little Rosie took after. Despite Erin's protests Rosie was more like her than Matthew in looks at least.

"That woman."

"What about her?" Catherine was lost.

"Erin?" Ruth coaxed.

"She was there."

"Where?" Harry had a very nasty feeling he knew what she was going to say. "Do you know who that woman is?"

"That woman." Erin leant heavily in the doorway. "That bitch was there the day Matt was taken from me. That woman is Angeline Dubronvik."

"Who?"

"Russian/Chechnyan assassin that disappeared four years ago." Ruth sighed. "We have to find Adam. Harry?"

Harry nodded before kissing her gently on the forehead before leaving the room.

#####################

A/N nearly at the end of this story now. Not sure I like this chapter but had to bring Erin back into the action. Please review.


	20. Chapter 20

**Disclaimer not mine**

**History Repeats itself?**

Harry pushed his foot on the accelerator as he prayed he would never have to tell Carrie and Wes that Adam was never coming home. It was bad enough that the Olympics were only halfway through without the goalposts being moved once more. Swearing under his breath he shot through the traffic lights just as they turned to amber. He didn't care if the speed cameras flashed or not. He had to get to the Grid.

####################

"No sign of him." Zaf stated as he walked back to his car. He knew there was very little chance that Adam had made his own way back to the Grid but as he spoke to Zoe on the phone he knew he had to hope. Ros narrowed her eyes as she walked towards the car, it was obvious the CCTV cameras only caught part of the High Street. She glared at it for a moment before returning her attention back to Zaf. Lucas hung back and watched. He knew Ros was still trying to deal with the upcoming trial of Tessa and Harrison but losing Adam may just be the final straw that broke her.

"Ros."

"Zaf." Ros ignored her husband as Zaf raised his eyebrows. "Get back to Thames House. Find out what Ruth has found."

"Where are you going?"

"American Embassy." Ros turned to Lucas. "You coming?"

"Wouldn't miss it for the world." He smiled slightly, for the first time since the headmaster and the former section head had been arrested he was beginning to see the Ros he knew and loved. For a moment he almost felt sorry for Lexi and the men that were already in custody. Ros smiled slightly as Zaf got in the car and drove away.

"Ready?"

"You know me, Ros."

"Oh yes." Ros smirked. "That's why I'm asking."

######################

"Bloody Hell." Calum threw his pen on the desk in disgust. He had just spoken to Ruth and Erin and knew the rest of the team were just as angry as he was.

"Why did no one know?" Tariq asked as Beth shrugged her shoulders.

"The Yanks are forever sending someone different. Steve was an obstructive idiot but he was loyal at least." Alec ran a hand over his face as he spoke.

"Tired?" Beth asked as he shot her a glare. "What is Juliet doing to you?"

"Don't ask." Dimitri joined in. "That is not an image I need before my lunch."

"Children please." Harry snapped as he walked in. "Malcolm, keep tabs on Lucas and Ros. Last thing we need is those pair going AWOL." Malcolm nodded as he watched his old friend slam the office door and pick up the phone. He had a feeling whoever he was calling was going to be on the receiving end of the legendary Pearce temper.

"Right then, what do we know?" Zaf asked as he pulled his chair up to where Malcolm, Tariq and Calum were working. Calum raised an eyebrow.

"That Adam is missing. Joey and the other two idiots aren't saying a word." He couldn't bring himself to say the names of the men that were involved in his brother's death so many years earlier.

"And Lexi? We had a message that Lexi was dead."

"She is." Beth sighed. "Ruth was right."

"Of course she is." Zaf flashed his charm smile as Zoe pulled up the image Ruth had shown Harry and Erin up onto the screen.

"This woman has pretended to be Lexi for at least four years, probably longer. She's worked in the CIA during that time." She explained. "Ruth found her death certificate when she was digging."

"Digging?" Alec folded his arms. "The woman just has a night in ITU after an emergency C section. How on earth?"

"It's Ruth." Zaf shrugged his shoulders. "It's what she does."

"And Erin was able to name her. Angeline Dubronvic. Same age as Lexi, very similar build but not her." Zoe folded her arms as she explained what Ruth had told her over the phone. "It seems that the real Lexi died in a major car accident on the outskirts of Texas. She was declared dead at the scene, three days before she as due to start work overseas."

"Really?" Dimitri got to his feet.

"Yeah" Zoe nodded. "According to Ruth's research, she was due to start work in the European Office, meaning that she would spend time in most of the major European capital cities. Once London was awarded the Games it seemed obvious that America would start increasing it's CIA presence here."

"Yeah, it does." Alec swung his legs off the edge of Beth's desk. "Right, I'm off."

"Where?" Beth rounded on him. "Pub isn't open yet."

"Man about a dog." He threw his jacket on and picked up his car keys. "Dim? You up for it?"

"Yeah, ok." Dimitri followed him as Beth rolled her eyes. She resisted the urge to say anything more to her boyfriend and colleague knowing Ruth wasn't around to stop her flying off the handle.

##########################

"Ros Myers." Ros stated as the aloof brunette glared at her. "This is Lucas North, MI5 Section D. We're here to see Williamson."

"Are you? Do you have an appointment?" The clipped New York tone of the woman behind the desk was beginning to annoy Ros, which Lucas knew would probably not do any good. She was barely keeping her temper, which the woman opposite her had no idea.

"I am Section Chief Myers and this is Senior Case Officer North. Get Williamson out of whatever meeting he is in and tell him we are here."

"I cannot."

"I'd listen to her." Lucas approached the desk. "Whatever my boss is about to say, I guarantee she'll see it through."

"He knows me well." Ros smirked slightly as Lucas tried to remain deadpan. He knew almost everyone in the security services knew they were married but when they were in work the job was the job. At that moment he couldn't wait for it to be over so he could go home to James and Amy. He knew Ros felt the same; but then if she finished work she knew she would have to keep her promise to see a counsellor. Part of him wondered if she was secretly relieved the case was going on longer than they had anticipated.

"I don't like your tone!" The woman snapped. Ros narrowed her eyes, the woman really was like the proverbial rabbit in the headlights.

"Get Williamson to see us now or I'll announce just how incompetent your vetting procedures are. And I can do that quietly in his office or I can do it so publically that it'll be front page news on the New York Times in under an hour."

"She means it." Lucas leant against the wall and watched the two women.

"I mean it." Ros smirked as the woman picked up the phone and explained who was waiting for him. "Thank you. Now that wasn't so difficult, was it." Ros smiled sweetly before heading off towards the older man's office.

##############

Adam groaned slightly as he opened his eyes. For a moment he wondered if Zaf and Lucas had doctored his drinks. Then he remembered the Stag party had been cancelled. He closed his eyes again and tried to work out what the extent of his injuries were. "Sweet Jesus." He mumbled under his breath as he realised he was probably going to have a black eye in a couple of hours and at least three of his ribs were broken.

"Adam." His eyes snapped open in a flash. He knew the voice, he knew he would never forget the sound of that voice as she begged him to let her go, to end her life for her. In the end she had found another way out; and he would never stop feeling guilty about it.

"No."

"Carrie and the kids need you." Jo bit her lip. "You've been hit around the head. Your system is full of Christ only knows what and you don't get to die."

"They poisoned Ros."

"Not this lot and not for the same reasons." Jo sighed sadly. "You have to open your eyes, get to your feet and get out of here."

"Great plan." Adam sniffed, regretting it when he realised his nose was broken. "Jo, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry I wasn't here. I thought. I really thought you were going to be ok."

"You got Zaf and Zoe home and little Emma." Jo smiled. "It's ok. I got what I wanted. Now, it isn't your time. You are not leaving those kids without their dad. We got out of worse than this."

"Why?"

"Why what?" Jo was always just out of his line of sight. He knew she was there but he just couldn't see her.

"Fiona."

"Is safe. Forever." Jo understood immediately. "She was murdered. I opted out of the living so to speak. The afterlife wasn't quite expecting me. So guess what. You got me."

"Not complaining. Just wondering." He smiled as she raised an eyebrow she knew he would never see. "Jo."

"Someone's coming." She hissed. "Fight. Adam. Fight."

Adam opened his eyes and looked around the small, cold room knowing that Jo was right. Silently he thanked her as he pushed himself up the wall to a standing position and limped towards the door.

###############

Harry slammed the phone down just as Malcolm knocked his door.

"In!"

"Harry." Malcolm stepped towards his old friend. "Alec and Dimitri have gone to meet a contact. Calum is going through phone records of every mobile that was in the vicinity where Lexi, sorry Angeline and Adam were at the time Adam arranged to meet her."

"Good." Harry began pacing his office.

"Ros and Lucas are at the US Embassy while Beth and Zoe are digging into the backgrounds of the men in custody. It seems Angeline was having a relationship with Viktor."

"He's former FSB." Harry sighed. "Fits."

"Indeed."

"Tariq has managed to freeze the finances of the men we have in the cells. Joey isn't going to be able to finance anything in the near future. How are Ruth and the baby? Erin?"

"Erin is up and about." Harry smiled at the look of relief on Malcolm's face. "Ruth is, she says she is ok. That the doctors are happy with her. Gracie is doing well. Just needs to fatten up and they'll let her home."

"Ruth? You think she's hiding something?"

"Not intentionally." Harry ran a hand over his face. "Malcolm, she's worried about Adam but there's something more. You've known her longer than most people here."

"Yes."

"Has she told you?" Malcolm's eyes fell to the floor. "I know it's probably you or Zaf if she were to confide in anyone."

"I know." He smiled. "But this time she hasn't told me anything. Honestly Harry, she's just given birth. She's a natural worrier anyway. She probably is just worrying about how Gracie's arrival changes things. About how you and the rest of the world see her. All I can say is find a quiet moment and talk to her."

"When did you get so good at handing out marriage advice?" Harry smiled slightly.

"Sarah." Malcolm answered. "She's made me better at it."

"Remind me to thank her." Harry marched across to his desk as the phone rang. "Home Secretary. Yes, I do want to meet with the American Ambassador to the UK. Yes, this is more than a few disgruntled opportunists. I'll be there in under the hour." Harry slammed the phone down. "Insufferable man."

Malcolm rolled his eyes wondering just when Ruth had begun to influence Harry so much. He was starting to sound like her.

##########################

A/N Not much more left. Next time Ros v Williamson. More Harry v Towers, Dimitri may get to save the day and can the team tie the case up before the end of the Games. Oh and quick question. I'm thinking of doing another Christmas fic. Shall I?


	21. Chapter 21

**Spooks doesn't belong to me.**

**What's in a Name**?

Williamson stood as Ros and Lucas walked into the ornate and overstated office. For a moment Lucas wondered why Sarah and Walker had never gone in for such grandeur. But then Sarah Caulfield had turned out to be a murdering traitor so she probably didn't have time to be anything more than minimalist.

"Ros! Lucas!" The man enthused as Ros held his gaze. Her Ice Queen mask firmly back in place. The older man had no idea that Lucas was reading everything in the room while she was barely keeping her temper.

"Good of you to see us." Ros lied as she sat down. They all knew she had left Williamson with no choice but to see her.

"Not a problem." The polite lies continued.

"Angeline Dubronvic." Ros got straight to the point.

"Who?"

"You must know her." Ros tilted her head slightly and smiled as Lucas kept quiet. "Five foot ten, dark hair, doe eyes. You know the type."

"No, sorry. It's not ringing any bells. Should it?" His Washington DC accent smoothed over the words. She could see why people considered him a lady's man. She didn't.

"Oh sorry. I should mention she also goes by the name Lexi Lincoln. Now don't tell me you don't know that name."

"What?" Williamson flushed red.

"There has been a major terrorist threat to the Olympic Games Opening Ceremony." Lucas spoke for the first time. "And we stopped it. No thanks to the help from this office. Lexi Lincoln isn't who she says she is."

"Neither were you." Williamson spat. Ros narrowed her eyes.

"Touche." Lucas smirked. "Never murdered anyone to get their name."

"What?"

"Lexi Lincoln died four years ago in a car accident in America. Her body is buried in the cemetary just outside Texas. She was an only child, her parents already dead. Now someone used her identity to get a job with you." Ros snapped. "I suggest this is where you start talking."

####################

Alec parked the car on the opposite side of the street to where he was supposed to meet his informant. The skinny man with straggly hair had already arrived. The rain battered the roof of the car as he watched Andy Parker try to hide in a shop doorway.

"Bloody rain." Alec moaned.

"It's summer and we're in London." Dimitri smirked.

"Shut up Boat boy."

"You've been spending too much time with Beth."

"Oy and you haven't?" Alec opened the car door as Dimitri sighed.

"Not enough. Not lately." He moaned before jogging after the former IA man.

########################

Adam was breathing heavily as he pushed the older and more unfit man away from him. It hadn't taken long to render him unconscious and he knew there would only be so long before anyone else came looking. Jo's words echoed in the back of his brain as he clutched his burning ribs as he moved gingerly along the corridor. He had to get back to Thames House, he had to see Wes and Issy again and he had to see Carrie. He knew now why he had been feeling so guilty recently. He had to put it right.

###############

Ruth brushed her hair away from her face as the baby took her bottle. It seemed to Ruth that she had been worried about nothing. Gracie was essentially a very good baby and while in the confines of the maternity unit things had been going well.

"No wonder you are gaining weight so well." Ruth smiled as the baby hungrily drank her bottle. "You seem to have inherited your father's appetite." The baby opened her eyes for a moment and Ruth saw her own mirrored back at her. Smiling she took a deep breath. "Where is your uncle Adam? Eh? You haven't even met him yet. That's one thing you should know. Even though none of us are related. Well, not really Section D was the only real family I knew for a very long time. Oh there's Dad and the others now but for a long time it was just me. So you should know the rest of them are probably going to spoil you as much as Harry will. I may not always be around but there are plenty of people who love you." She walked towards the window as she held the baby. Grace stared up into her eyes, as if trying to work out what her mother was talking about. Neither had any idea Harry had heard Grace from the doorway.

"And talking of Uncle Adam, he does find trouble rather too easily." Ruth smiled. "Him and Zaf. Stay out of any of their schemes. Actually that point goes for Calum and Beth too. Basically listen to Malcolm and ignore the others and their harebrained schemes and don't let Ros intimidate you. It's just her way. She's got a good heart really, just a tongue that can cut granite. I'll be around for a while yet, but just so you know." She kissed the baby's forehead before turning to see Harry stood in the doorway with tears in his eyes.

"Ruth."

"Any news? Oh God." Ruth stepped forwards.

"You were right about Lexi. I mean Angeline. Zoe dug a little further. Apparently she is the daughter of a Chechnyan woman who died in the war."

"Who was her father?"

"Still looking into that." He paused as Ruth handed him the baby. He knew there was no way he could lose his temper when he was holding his newborn daughter.

"Right. The doctor says I can come home tomorrow. Gracie needs to put another two pounds on. Apparently she's high risk for something called failure to thrive. But the way she took that bottle."

"Ruth,."

"There is no way she isn't going to put on weight."

"Ruth."

"What?"

"I heard you."

"Oh."

"What aren't you telling me?" Ruth stepped forward slightly and touched the soft brown hair that covered their daughter's head.

"The migraines." Ruth sighed. "They are getting worse and worse."

"I guessed."

"It may not be migraine." Ruth watched as he closed his eyes.

"Then?"

"I wont know." Ruth looked away as Harry touched her chin to force her to look at him. "I don't know at the moment."

"Ruth."

"They did some tests. When I was in ITU one of my blood tests came back wrong." She paused. "That's all I know until tomorrow at the earliest. Then I have an appointment with the neurologist."

"How long?"

"Harry?" Ruth swallowed hard. She knew he wanted to know how long she had been lying to him but she didn't have the heart to tell him.

"How long have you known?"

"Migraines can get worse in pregnancy. I honestly thought it was that. It was only when I had some numbness to my face and loss of power to my arms that I asked the doctor. It was after Grace was born and you were so worried about the case and the team. I."

"Ruth." He pulled her into him as she closed her eyes. Gracie closed her eyes and fell asleep. "When?"

"11am tomorrow."

"I'll be here." He kissed her gently before she had chance to argue with him. "No more secrets. Please."

"We're made of secrets." She half whispered. Harry smiled, remembering a conversation from months ago.

"Not anymore." He kissed her again as Ruth sighed.

###########

Beth frowned as she walked along South Kensington High Street. The place was one of the most expensive streets in London and she couldn't help but feel out of place. She tugged her jacket closer to her as Zoe turned to face her.

"Are you sure about this?"

"Yes." Zoe smiled slightly. "The last registered address for Lexi or the woman calling herself that was in this street."

"But." Beth backed up as a small car pulled past them. "She isn't stupid enough to come back here."

"True." Zaf drapped his arms over both girls' shoulders but she may be stupid enough to leave someone here.

"Adam." Beth closed her eyes. "We're here looking for Adam, not her."

"Oh we'll find her." Zoe's cut glass accent snapped through the air. "Adam first then her. Not even on her money can she afford a place in a street like this and the CIA are not going to pay for it."

"But if Alec's contact is right and Tariq's digging."

"Oi." Tariq spoke calmly. "How can you question my digging? It's the house on the end of the block."

"Just saying." Zaf laughed as an elderly woman walking a Yorkshire Terrier tutted on her way past them. "We've pulled a scam here before, the politician."

"After I left." Zoe sighed.

"Before I started." Beth answered.

"Yeah." Zaf laughed. "And it still worked. Come on, ladies. People are waiting for us."

###############################

A/N Where are Zaf and the girls going? What has Tariq found and what will the doctor say? I think I probably have at most four or five chapters left and then we have to have Gracie's first Christmas :D Please review.


	22. Chapter 22

**Disclaimer Spooks still isn't mine :(**

**Eleven.**

"Do you understand?" The doctor watched as Erin nodded. She just wanted to go home. Nothing else mattered apart from making sure her mother and Rosie were safe. She knew the doctor didn't want her to leave but she had no choice. Her health was irrelevant by that point. She had to go home, even if there would be no place for her at Thames House any longer she had to make sure her family were safe.

"Yes." She answered simply. "And, thank you. I mean it, thank you for all you and the nurses have done for me." She signed the Discharge Against Medical Advice form and handed it back to the doctor. He nodded once before standing and leaving the room.

####################

"Zaf." Beth frowned slightly before turning to face her friend. "Are you sure about this?"

"Never ask him that." Zoe sighed.

"Yep." Zaf nodded. For a moment the mask slipped and both women could see how worried he was about his friend. "I did some digging. It isn't just Ruth that can look around things, you know?"

"Go on." Beth urged.

"These houses are mega expensive." He began as they looked around the exclusive street. "Which means they all qualify for the higher rate of Stamp Duty."

"And Stamp Duty is registered." Zoe nodded, she saw what her fiancé was getting at. Beth took a deep breath and looked around the street. All she could see was the little nooks and crannies a half decent sniper could squeeze into. There were a million and one places a madman with a gun could hide.

"So I asked Ruth to do a little phishing expedition." Zaf explained. "And guess who the house is registered to?"

"Ruth did all of this, didn't she?" Beth laughed as Zoe rolled her eyes. Zaf tried his best to look affronted.

"I'm hurt by that suggestion. Actually, most of it was Tariq. I asked him to look in the Land Registry and the Electoral Register and cross-reference them."

"Ah, good old fashioned espionage. Nothing like it." Beth teased. Zaf nodded toward a house with a hanging basket hanging near the front door. The sunlight bounced off the windows making Beth more uncertain of the place than ever. Subconsciously she looked around for means of cover, relieved that there were at least half a dozen parked cars lining the side of the road.

"Go on." Zoe knew Zaf was desperate to tell them what he had found out.

"A Mr Joseph Mace."

"Bloody Hell." Beth almost yelled as the side door to the semi-detached house opened.

"What?" Zoe snapped as Zaf pushed past her to catch a battered and bruised Adam before he hit the floor.

#################################

Ruth closed her eyes as she sat next to Harry. Adam had been missing for almost twenty-four hours and she knew Harry was as worried as she was. The former Section Head just didn't vanish into thin air, even with a legend in place he had always kept in touch with base. _Apart from the year he was supposed to be dead._ She reminded herself. Shaking her head she tried to smile as Harry squeezed her hand.

"Don't worry." Ruth caught his eye. "I'm ok, I am always ok." She paraphrased Ros, hoping that some of the Section Chief's strength rubbed off on her.

"Mrs Pearce." The doctor walked in. "Congratulations on the birth of your baby. I hope she is doing well."

"Grace is a fighter." Harry stated. "Like her mum."

"Thanks." Ruth smiled at the mention of her daughter's name. For a moment she pictured the look on Nick's face as he held his baby sister for the first time. In that moment Ruth knew that whatever happened she could die happy, knowing her kids were safe and loved.

"Your scan results are back." Dr Walker got to the point almost immediately. Harry was certain his heart had stopped beating. Ruth seemed to steal herself next to him. She had been determined to do this alone, seeing Harry fall apart if it was bad news would kill her on the spot.

"Good." Ruth held the doctor's gaze, unwilling to look at Harry. She couldn't bear to see the pain she knew would be there.

"You do not have a brain tumour."

"Thank God." Harry breathed the words.

"Indeed." The doctor didn't alter his tone. Ruth nodded once for him to continue. He glanced at Harry. "Ruth, it is migraine disorder. You need medication but that's all." The doctor watched a Harry closed his eyes, he could see how worried the man in front of him had been. Ruth frowned slightly as if she couldn't really believe what she was hearing.

"No tumour."

"No, Ruth. No tumour." The doctor repeated. "Your brain scan shows that at one point you had a small bleed on the brain. I'm assuming that is from earlier trauma as our radiologist tells us it looks old."

"Yeah." She nodded. "I'm not dying."

"No, Ruth. "I can confidently say that unless you walk out of this office and end up under a bus."

"Do not joke about that." Harry smiled. "I've seen how clumsy she is."

"Harry." Ruth rolled her eyes.

"Stress makes migraine disorder worse." The doctor became serious once more. "I don't know what you do for a living but I can imagine it is stressful. Plus you have a new baby and a teenager to look after. Rest, remember you are no good to anyone if you don't look after yourself." Harry glanced at his wife and nodded. He would be a nightmare from now on. Ruth smiled as he thanked the doctor. She just knew there was very little chance she was going to be able to ignore her health if Harry had anything to do with it. Once outside the room Ruth practically collapsed in Harry's arms.

"Hey." He kissed her hair as she began to cry. "It's ok. You heard him. No tumour, no aneurism."

"Oh God." Ruth mumbled into his chest. "I just thought. I knew. I was."

"Ready to say goodbye?"

"No." Ruth sniffed. "But I thought I was going to have to. I thought Catherine wa going to end up bringing up Grave alongside Charlie."

"Because?"

"I was dead and you'd hidden yourself away in Thames House." Harry closed his eyes, knowing that Ruth was talking partially from experience. All the other times he had been hurt and upset that was exactly what he had done, deliberately thrown himself into the most dangerous and complex case he could find. Sighing heavily he held Ruth at arms length, not caring that they were still in the hospital corridor.

"No, I wouldn't. Gracie is ours. There's no way I'd let her down. And while Catherine and the boys are and always will be an important part of her life there is no way anyone else gets to bring her up. She's the miracle we never thought we'd have and I for one didn't think I deserved. So no, whatever happens I'm her Dad."

"I love you." Ruth mumbled as Harry blinked back his own tears. He held her as if she was a china doll that could smash to smithereens in seconds.

"I know." He kissed her forehead. "So no more talk of leaving me. I love you too." He kissed her hair again as she buried her face in his shirt.

###############################

"Bloody Hell." Calum snapped as he listened to Zoe request medical back up. The atmosphere on the Grid was as frosty as ice. "Paramedics on the way." He repeated, hoping that the ambulance would be fast enough. He hated to think of Carrie sat at home with the kids, just days away from the wedding.

"Thanks." Zoe hung up as Beth and Zaf propped Adam against the side of the car.

"Mate?" Zaf looked over the bruises as Adam breathed heavily.

"Carrie."

"She's ok." Zoe repeated. "She's fine. Wes and Isabelle are fine."

"K." Adam stated before he let his knees buckle. Beth yelped as she grabbed his head to stop it hitting the concrete floor.

###############################

Erin pulled the thin jacket she wore close to her body. The wind was biting as the late August sunshine was replaced biting wind and icy drizzle. She knew she should have stayed in the hospital and part of her wished she had. Now as the summer wind bit through her small frame she closed her eyes and steeled herself from what was to come. Carefully she pressed the speed dial on her phone and pushed the door to the run down house open.

"Malcolm? Its me. Don't ask." She paused as the grizzly tableau in front of her. "Angeline is dead."

###########################

A/N not much more. Ruth was going to have something horrendous. I just couldn't do it - not to Ruth. More Ros/Lucas next time. Please review.


	23. Chapter 23

**Disclaimer not mine**

**Dead?**

"Sorry, Erin." Malcolm took a deep breath as he tried to ignore Tariq and Calum talking next to him. "Angeline is dead?"

"Oh yes."

"How?"

"Why aren't you in hospital?" Calum snapped once he knew who Malcolm was talking to. Erin sighed.

"Not really relevant now Cal." She sighed as Malcolm closed his eyes for a moment. He knew Calum thought of the dark haired spook as the sister he never had.

"She's been murdered. I phoned the Embassy, got the last known address for Lexi. Seems I wasn't the only person to know where she was living. The place is a mess." Erin looked around, careful not to touch anything. The blood spattered walls made her feel sick, knowing the woman had died in violent and vicious circumstances. "Despite the fact I hate the woman there is no way I'd wish this on her."

"Erin, get out of there." Malcolm spoke calmly. "I have your co-ordinates, a clean up team is on the way."

"So am I." Calum snapped. "Stay put."

"Calum." Erin sighed, knowing it was no use. He had promised Matthew he would look after her, it seemed he was doing just that.

#########################

"How does that happen?" Lucas jogged down the steps of the US Embassy as Ros looked out over the busy London street. She shook her head slightly but said nothing. "How can a person just steal someone's identity and live another life. And yes, I know there is an irony in my saying that."

"Lucas." Ros sighed. She knew finding out that Lexi was in fact Angeline would shake Lucas but she hadn't expected it to bring back memories she'd rather forget completely. She watched as he turned to look at her.

"Ros, I."

"Forget it." She walked past him and headed towards the car parked under the street light.

"Ros." Lucas jogged after her. He knew she hadn't seen the slight change in the car they had arrived in. He knew Ros still hadn't booked the appointment with the counsellor and had a feeling she was trying to forget she had ever agreed to it.

"ROS!" He ran towards her as fast as his feet could carry him. Before she could argue he threw her to the ground, just as a bullet skimmed her hair. He covered her body with his, pining her to the ground unsure whether the gunman had disappeared or was there to finish the job. "Ros?"

"The window in the building opposite?"

"Yeah." He whispered in her ear. "Also thinking that something has been done to the car."

"IED?"

"Probably, someone wanting us to know we're being watched."

"I am going to rip Mace and his little cronies to shreds." Ros gasped as the air burned in her lungs. The effort of dragging air in painful when her ribs were now definitely bruised.

"Ros."

"I'm fine. But as pleasant as it is to have you pining me to the floor public pathways really isn't the place for it." Ros remained deadpan as Lucas blushed a shade of red she had only ever seen in Amy's paintbox.

"Right. Um. Yeah." Mumbled an unusually embarrassed Lucas as he got to his feet and helped his wife to stand.

"But later." Ros watched as he smirked and raised an eyebrow.

"Is that a promise?"

"Depends?" Ros teased. "On whether we can get these idiots dealt with and whether Amy and James are quick to get to bed." Lucas nodded, now deep in thought. He knew it was Ros' way of gently backtracking. He knew she was pushing him away again.

############

"What?" Harry stood in front of the remaining technical officers, aware that Tariq couldn't look at him. Malcolm took a deep breath before standing to meet his old friend's gaze.

"I recieved a phone call from Erin. She had signed herself out of the hospital. Knowing you would insist she was cleared by Mike before returning to active duty."

"Damn right I would."

"She took it upon herself to do her own detective work. She found the woman we now know as Angeline Dubrovnik. like multiple stab wounds."

"Tell me she preserved the scene?"

"She's a spook. And a good one. There is no trace of her there." Malcolm watched his friend glare at the desk.

"I see."

"Calum has gone to get her."

"Good."

"Harry?" He watched as Tariq disappeared into the kitchen. "How are you?"

"Fine." Harry sighed.

"Ruth and the baby? Nick?"

"Nick is fine. Slightly in awe of the baby." Harry smiled as he thought of his adopted step son. "Ruth is going to be ok."

"Yes?"

"Yes." Harry smiled. "I think she worried more about my reaction rather than what was happening. Her and Gracie should be home at the end of the week."

"Oh that's marvelous,"

"Thanks." Harry knew Malcolm loved Ruth almost as a sister. He had no doubt Nick and Gracie would always have Uncle Malcolm and Auntie Sarah in their lives. "What about your new addition?"

"Two actually." Malcolm smiled. "We found two. Can't be separated apparently. A Staffordshire Bull Terrier and a Bichon cross with something. Sarah joked we should rename them Harry and Ruth." Harry raised an eyebrow at his friend. "Anyway Bodie and Doyle arrive on Wednesday. The last time I saw Sarah she was spending a fortune in the local pet shop and discussing who should be our vet."

"You can't wait." Harry laughed.

"No. My father had a staffie. Gentle giant of a dog."

"The vet in town is excellent. I'll get you the number." Harry smiled before turning back to his office and leaving Malcolm to finish his work. Sighing heavily he picked up the ringing phone. "Ruth? Ruth. Slow down." He closed his eyes as he realised his wife was on the verge of becoming hysterical.

####################

Beth walked through the corridors of the Maternity Unit looking for Ruth. She frowned as she realised she was lost. She stopped a young midwife as she left a patient's room.

"Ruth Pearce? Any idea where she is?"

"Ruth?" The young red head nodded. "End room on your left. Her son just arrived."

"Nicky? Dark haired, skinny lad."

"Yeah."

"Thanks." Beth smiled, she turned away before it became too obvious the smile was fake. She knew Ruth would be upset when she told her Adam was in A+E with Zoe and Zaf. Stealing herself to tell her that one of her closest friends had been badly assaulted and was waiting to see the doctor she pushed the door open. Beth knew Ruth was going to be upset but she hadn't quite expected the tears once Catherine and Graham had taken Nick home.

################

Harry looked at the assembled spooks around the table in the Briefing Room. So much had happened since the fateful day when Towers had told him there was a possible threat to the Olympic Games and could he and 'his people' take a look. Now he was a new father, with a young daughter. Ruth was on maternity leave, whether she liked it or not. Adam was hurt, Lucas was back but barely able to function while Ros was clearly trying to hide some sort of PTSD and not alway succeeding. It was Zaf and Dimitri that had quietly got on with the fieldwork while the rest of the section seemed to be veering from one disaster to another.

"Angeline Dubrovnik is dead." Harry announced. He couldn't help the way his eyes automatically found Ruth's empty chair. "Joseph Mace has confessed to using his Uncle's inheritance to fund an attack on the Games. It seemed it was all some plot to put Nightingale back on the map."

"He told you this?" Zoe asked. Harry nodded once.

"Co-oberated by other sources." Tariq answered mysteriously. Malcolm resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Following the money was not always the easy option despite what Tariq had said.

"Yes." Harry answered cooly. "What about our Russian friends?"

"Both want to do a deal. Neither particularly keen to back to Moscow. Seems their little habit of selling state secrets hasn't really left them with a good image at the Kremlin. And seeing as Viktor has admitted Angeline was his daughter, he's claiming the Human Rights Act and wants to stay in the UK. Apparently her murder makes him think he will meet the same fate back home. Affairs with Chechnyan woman doesn't go down well, even if it was thirty years ago."

"He's right there." Harry nodded.

"I have no problem with him rotting in a British prison cell. At least then we know he is serving some sort of sentance for this. Any news on Adam?"

"Mild concussion." Zaf smirked. "His head is too hard for it to be that damaged."

"Zaf." Zoe rolled her eyes as he flashed her a cheeky smile.

"Oh come on."

"He has a point." Ros smirked. Lucas breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed a little of the old Ros was back. At least she could make sarcastic comments and joke just as she always did, even if only those who really knew her would be able to tell the difference."

"Carrie is at the hospital with him now. Don't think she was that impressed with him getting a black eye before the big day but she's with him. What she sees in him."

"Zafar." Harry warned as Zaf shrugged his shoulders. "Any sign of the mystery gunman?"

"No but we believe he is Nightingale. " Erin stated calmly. Harry glared at the papers in front of him. It seemed wherever there was a Mace there was a Nightingale cell. He hated it. With just five years room retirement he knew the chances of him and his team ridding the world of Nightingale was nigh on impossible. The hold it had on the rest of the world make him sick.

"Too many loose ends." Beth sighed as Alec nodded.

"That is as maybe." Harry sighed "But we did as we were asked. And the Olympic and Paralympics are going well. Thankyou everyone." The team knew they were being dismissed. He knew Beth was right but there was nothing else left to go on. He knew Nightingale had murdered their suspect; but he had no proof. Not until the next time Nightingale sent their latest scapegoat to do their duty work for them.

#############################

A/N Epilogue soon x. Please review.


	24. Chapter 24

**Disclaimer not mine**

**Epilogue**

The rain had abated enough to allow the late summer sunshine a chance to make an appearance. Ruth smiled slightly, relieved that both she and Gracie were home in time for Carrie and Adam's wedding. She dropped the net curtain and turned to see Harry carrying the baby through into the kitchen. Nick trailed behind.

"You really ok?" Nick asked as Ruth smiled.

"Yes. I am really ok. And so is Gracie. So go on, Wes will be waiting." She kissed his hair as he blushed furiously.

"Mum."

"Go on." Harry watched as the teenager shrugged his shoulders.

"Ok, OK." Nick raised his hands in defeat as Harry tried not to laugh. "Wes will be stressed out if I don't get there soon."

################

Lucas leant against the car, enjoying the sunshine. They had at least a couple of hours before they were expected at the Registry Office. He couldn't help but think about his own wedding and all that had happened since. Amy looked up at him and smiled as James looked around.

"Daddy." Amy tugged his sleeve as she stared at the small white brick wall opposite. "How much longer?"

"Not much." He smiled as she rolled her eyes. "You look like your mum."

"I know." She nodded earnestly as James pointed over Lucas' shoulder.

"Muuuuum!"

Lucas turned to see his wife walking towards them. Her eyes were still guarded but he knew things would take time. She looked every inch the Section Chief of Anti-terrorism as she walked towards them. Only when she saw Amy and heard James did her mask slip for a moment.

"Mum!" Amy sighed dramatically. "At last! You've been aaaages!"

"I was not ages." Amy raised an eyebrow as Lucas smirked.

"She's your daughter."

"And don't I know it." Ros smiled slightly as Amy took her hand.

"Why were you in there?"

"I had to talk to someone." Ros explained. "A lady."

"Oh."

"How did it go?" Lucas watched as Ros kept her eyes on her children. He knew Ros had only agreed to a counsillor because her marriage was suffering since Harrison had fallen into her lives. Ros fell silent for a moment as she thought of how to phrase her answer. The last thing she wanted was Amy and James to work out that something had happened.

"Useful, I think." He nodded once before catching her eye for a moment. For the first time in a long time he had a feeling things were going to be alright.

"Are we going to the wedding?" Amy asked as she tugged on Ros' hand. Lucas laughed.

"She just wants to see Carrie wearing a pretty dress. Don't you?"

"Yeah." Amy admitted. "And Wes said there'd be cake." Ros shook her head slightly as her mobile phone began to ring. Answering it quickly she almost laughed at the panicked voice on the other end of the phone.

"Zaf, no Adam isn't with me. Please tell me you haven't lost the groom!"

#####################

Ruth sighed as she watched the lone figure at the far end of the cemetary. The small church yard was in walking distance of Thames House and she knew who she'd find there. Zaf's panicked phone call an hour earlier had sent Harry out looking for Adam while Beth and Dimitri checked the usual haunts. It seemed he didn't really want to be found. Shaking her head slightly she pushed the pram towards Alec and gave him a stern look.

"Stay with Grace."

"But, Ruth."

"Stay. With. The. Baby." Ruth spelled out in one syllable. "She's sleeping. Even a macho man like you can stay with a baby for five minutes."

"But."

"Oh come on, you live with Juliet!"

"That's different"

"I am not going to argue with you." Ruth turned and glared at the former IA man. "Stay here."

"Ok." He looked suitable abashed as Ruth walked towards the lone figure.

#######################

"He cannot stand Carrie up." Beth seethed. "Not after all this."

"He won't." Malcolm sighed wearily. "He may be many things but he is not the type of man to run out on the woman he loves. I spoke with Carrie, nothing is wrong. Zaf is probably making a stir over nothing. I sent Zoe to see Carrie. She has no idea."

"But after everything?" Tariq looked at the few spooks that had already assembled at the Registry Office. Erin looked away as Catherine squeezed Calum's hand.

"Angeline is dead." Malcolm sighed. "We may never find her murderer."

"Joey has confessed and is on remand; awaiting trial." Calum nodded. "It's over."

"Is it?" Erin rested her head back against the wall. She was still deathly pale but as she watched Rosie playing with the other children already present. Sarah watched her and glanced at Malcolm.

"We did as the Home Secretary asked. The Games are underway in spectacular fashion and the threat was illiminated."Sarah smiled slightly, knowing he was trying to smooth things over. Erin still grieved for her fiancé and it seemed nothing would change that.

"That's true." Tariq smiled.

"Some more scumbags off the streets." Calum smiled slightly. "Is this wedding ever going to happen?"

"We're early." Catherine smiled at him as Charlie and Rosie played at their feet. "They'll be here."

#######################

Ruth walked towards the lone figure as she realised what he was staring at. The black marble headstone was immaculate. She knew Adam and Wes had never really stopped visiting the grave. She looked around before finally reaching out and touching Adam's forearm.

"Adam."

"Not now Ruth."

"Yes, now."

"Ruth."

"She was my friend too." Ruth looked at the golden script on the headstone. _Fiona May Carter. Beloved wife and mother. Taken too soon._ "She'd want you and Wes to be happy."

"I know."

"Carrie makes you happy."

"Yeah. Ruth." He closed his eyes. He knew Ruth was trying to help.

"Dimitri, Harry and the others are all looking for you."

"How did you find me?" Adam knew it was a stupid question. The sun seemed to light up the inscription on the grave as Ruth stood shoulder to shoulder with Adam.

"Zaf was on the verge of having a nervous breakdown. Wes got him to call me. You loved Fiona. I've never seen a couple more in love. Where else would you be?" Adam smiled slightly as he turned to face her.

"Why do I feel like I'm cheating on her?"

"Love is a strange thing." Ruth sighed. "Look at me and Harry. How many years did we waste? Look at me and Gracie. When Chloë died I didn't think I could love anyone or anything ever again. Then Gracie came along." She glanced back to where Alec was cooing over the baby. She almost laughed at the macho man spook fussing over a newborn.

"But that's."

"It doesn't mean I love Chloë any less." Ruth sighed as she thought of the baby she had lost as a teenager. "It's just different. Neither is bigger or better than the other. Fiona would hate to see you like this. You'll never forget her and neither will Wes, but Carrie is waiting for you. Her and Issy are the future and I know Fiona would want you to be happy."

"I."

"If it were Fiona here and not you. What would you want?" Ruth stepped back and turned to walk away. Adam closed his eyes. "Would you want her to raise Wes alone? To be miserable and alone? Because before Carrie came on the scene that's what you were. Then one fine day you come back here with Zaf and the others and meet the best thing that has happened to you in years. I only hope the same can happen for Erin. She's still being held back by grief. Don't let that happen to you. Not again." Ruth walked away as Alec looked up in relief. Adam shook his head as he turned back to the gravestone. Ruth dug in her coat pocket to retrieve her mobile phone and smiled as she heard Harry's voice.

"Yes, I'm fine." She paused. "We're on our way." She glanced back at Adam who just nodded. For a moment he thought Ruth was wrong. Him and Fiona weren't the only couple that seemed to be made for each other.

"You have a very strange way of making your point." Adam smiled at her. "Thanks Fi." He kissed his fingers and touched the gravestone, knowing that moving on didn't mean he had to forget.

##########################################

A/N not sure about the ending. Please review


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